Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through a number of theft costs Friday after detectives discovered more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the expensive auto parts that play a vital role in lowering vehicle emissions.

The invention followed a months-long investigation that started with a January tip that somebody was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial space close to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“We have been very surprised at the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier stated in a police video taken Thursday as officers were pulling converters from the jam-packed storage locker.

The 48-year-old man who police say was buying and selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face additional expenses.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of hundreds of car and truck homeowners within the pocketbook and annoyed police, who're confronted with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is tough to unravel even when they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters will not be imprinted on the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market where they are chopped open for the dear metals they contain.

Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in line with the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance trade group that works to combat insurance coverage fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for each converter.

The insurance group counted simply 3,969 stories of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, greater than 17,000 in 2020 and greater than 52,000 final yr.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing laws designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been introduced this yr in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That features Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of instances a criminal offense and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that buy respectable used gadgets. They must mark the merchandise with the donor vehicle's serial number and retain it for at least per week in authentic condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 nice for the first offense, a $2,000 nice for a second and at the very least double that for each extra time they're caught. Those possessing or attempting to promote a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation can be within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new gadgets, offer grants for applications to stamp numbers on existing vehicles and vans and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe called it a vital step in helping convey reduction to individuals directly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance typically does not cowl a automobile owner's losses. Somebody carrying simply legal responsibility protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the complete invoice. Even with comprehensive coverage, there's a deductible which may be high enough that it's not value submitting a declare.

“Lastly, some victims even with protection might treat the problem as a mechanical challenge and simply pay for it themselves and by no means notify their insurer,” insurance coverage crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman mentioned Friday.