Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing multiple theft expenses Friday after detectives discovered greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the pricy auto parts that play a important position in lowering car emissions.

The discovery adopted a months-long investigation that began with a January tip that someone was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial space close to Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport.

“We have been very surprised on the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said 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 should face extra prices.

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 pissed off police, who're faced with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is tough to solve even if they find the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters will not be imprinted on the manufacturing facility with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market the place they are chopped open for the valuable metals they comprise.

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

The insurance coverage group counted just 3,969 reports of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, greater than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 final 12 months.

Lawmakers throughout the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In accordance with the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this yr in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many situations a crime and provides detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that purchase legit used gadgets. They need to mark the merchandise with the donor vehicle's serial quantity and retain it for a minimum of a week in original situation.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fine for the first offense, a $2,000 effective for a second and a minimum of double that for every extra time they are 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 laws can be in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that may require serial numbers on new devices, provide grants for programs to stamp numbers on present automobiles and trucks and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe referred to as it a important step in serving to convey relief to people straight impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage usually does not cowl a automotive proprietor's losses. Somebody carrying just legal responsibility protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the full invoice. Even with complete protection, there's a deductible that could be high enough that it's not worth filing a claim.

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