Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing multiple theft fees Friday after detectives found more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto elements that play a important role in lowering car emissions.

The invention adopted a months-long investigation that started with a January tip that somebody was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial space near Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport.

“We were very stunned at the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier mentioned 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 selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face extra fees.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automobile and truck house owners within the pocketbook and frustrated police, who are confronted with a criminal offense that takes just minutes to commit and is tough to unravel even if they find the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters aren't imprinted on the manufacturing unit with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market the place they're chopped open for the precious metals they include.

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing laws designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In response to the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been introduced this 12 months in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of situations a criminal offense and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that purchase respectable used gadgets. They need to mark the item with the donor automobile's serial number and retain it for at the very least per week in original condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 superb for the first offense, a $2,000 advantageous for a second and a minimum of double that for each extra time they are caught. Those possessing or attempting to promote a used catalytic converter that do not meet new necessities 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 Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that would require serial numbers on new gadgets, offer grants for applications to stamp numbers on current automobiles and trucks and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe called it a important step in helping bring reduction to folks directly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance often doesn't cover a automobile owner's losses. Somebody carrying simply legal responsibility protection or liability and collision is on the hook for the total invoice. Even with complete protection, there is a deductible that may be high sufficient that it isn't price submitting a declare.

“Lastly, some victims even with coverage may deal with the issue as a mechanical difficulty and simply pay for it themselves and never notify their insurer,” insurance coverage crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman stated Friday.