Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with multiple theft prices Friday after detectives found greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto elements that play a vital position in reducing 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 area close to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“We have been very surprised 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 buying and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and may face further expenses.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automotive and truck owners in the pocketbook and annoyed police, who're confronted with a criminal offense that takes simply minutes to commit and is troublesome to resolve even if they find the stolen components.

Catalytic converters usually are not imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market the place they are chopped open for the valuable metals they contain.

Replacing one can value a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, according to the National 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 legislation designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. In response to the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this year 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 many instances a crime and provides detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that buy reputable used gadgets. They must mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial number and retain it for not less than a week in authentic condition.

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 least double that for every extra time they're caught. These possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that do not meet new requirements might face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation can also be in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a bill backed by the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau that will require serial numbers on new units, supply grants for applications to stamp numbers on current vehicles and vehicles and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance coverage typically doesn't cowl a automobile owner's losses. Somebody carrying simply liability coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the complete invoice. Even with comprehensive protection, there's a deductible that could be excessive sufficient that it's not worth filing a claim.

“Lastly, some victims even with protection might treat the problem as a mechanical difficulty and just pay for it themselves and never notify their insurer,” insurance crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman stated Friday.