Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

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

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

“We had been very shocked on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said 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 shopping for and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face further fees.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automobile and truck homeowners within the pocketbook and pissed off police, who're confronted with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is troublesome to unravel even if they find the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters aren't imprinted at the manufacturing unit with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market the place they're chopped open for the valuable metals they contain.

Replacing one can price a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, according to the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance coverage industry group that works to combat insurance coverage fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for each converter.

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing legislation designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In line with the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been launched this year in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of situations a criminal offense and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that buy legitimate used gadgets. They have to mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial number and retain it for at the least per week in original situation.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 positive for the first offense, a $2,000 tremendous for a second and a minimum of double that for each additional time they are caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to promote a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements may 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 coverage Crime Bureau that will require serial numbers on new gadgets, offer grants for programs to stamp numbers on present vehicles and vans and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe referred to as it a vital step in serving to deliver reduction to people instantly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage often doesn't cover a automobile owner's losses. Somebody carrying just liability protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the full invoice. Even with comprehensive protection, there's a deductible that may be excessive enough that it isn't worth submitting a declare.

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