Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through a number of theft charges Friday after detectives found greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the expensive auto components that play a vital role in lowering automobile 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 Worldwide Airport.

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

The 48-year-old man who police say was shopping for and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face extra fees.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of 1000's of automobile and truck owners within the pocketbook and annoyed police, who're faced with a criminal offense that takes simply minutes to commit and is troublesome to resolve even if they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters are not imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market where they are chopped open for the precious metals they comprise.

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

The insurance coverage group counted just 3,969 reports of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 last 12 months.

Lawmakers throughout the nation have taken discover, introducing legislation designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. In line with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been launched 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 many cases a criminal offense and provides detailed reporting requirements for scrap dealers that purchase professional used gadgets. They have to mark the merchandise with the donor automobile's serial quantity and retain it for at the least every week in unique situation.

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

Federal legislation is also in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new devices, offer grants for programs to stamp numbers on current vehicles and trucks and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a crucial step in helping carry aid to people straight impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage often does not cowl a automobile proprietor's losses. Someone carrying just legal responsibility coverage or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the complete invoice. Even with comprehensive protection, there is a deductible that could be excessive sufficient that it's not price filing a claim.

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