Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing 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 pricy auto components that play a vital role in decreasing car emissions.

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

“We were very surprised on the amount 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 selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face further expenses.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of car and truck homeowners within the pocketbook and annoyed police, who are confronted with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is difficult to unravel even when they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters aren't imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself 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 keeping with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance business group that works to fight 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 reports of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, greater than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 final 12 months.

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

That features Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of cases a crime and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that purchase professional used devices. They need to mark the merchandise with the donor automobile's serial quantity and retain it for a minimum of a week in authentic situation.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 positive for the primary offense, a $2,000 nice for a second and a minimum of double that for each additional time they're caught. Those possessing or trying to promote a used catalytic converter that don't meet new necessities may face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws is also within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a bill backed by the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that will require serial numbers on new gadgets, provide grants for packages to stamp numbers on existing cars and vans and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a critical step in serving to bring aid to people immediately impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage usually does not cover a automotive owner's losses. Someone carrying just liability protection or liability and collision is on the hook for the full invoice. Even with complete protection, there's a deductible which may be high enough that it isn't worth submitting a declare.

“Lastly, some victims even with protection might treat the issue as a mechanical subject and simply pay for it themselves and never notify their insurer,” insurance coverage crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman mentioned Friday.