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 into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the expensive auto elements that play a vital position in lowering automobile emissions.

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

“We have been very stunned at the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier mentioned in a police video taken Thursday as officers have 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 will face further expenses.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of 1000's of car and truck homeowners in the pocketbook and frustrated police, who are confronted with a criminal offense that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to resolve even if they discover the stolen elements.

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

Changing one can price a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in accordance with the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurance coverage trade group that works to combat insurance coverage fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for every converter.

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing laws 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 introduced this yr 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 cases against the law and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap sellers that buy professional used devices. They have to mark the merchandise with the donor automobile's serial number and retain it for at least per week in unique condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 high quality for the primary offense, a $2,000 fantastic for a second and not less than double that for each additional 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 laws can also be in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau that would require serial numbers on new units, provide grants for packages to stamp numbers on current vehicles and vans and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a vital step in serving to convey relief to folks instantly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage typically does not cowl a automobile proprietor's losses. Someone carrying just liability protection or liability and collision is on the hook for the complete invoice. Even with comprehensive coverage, there's a deductible that may be high enough that it's not value filing a claim.

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