Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through multiple theft fees Friday after detectives discovered 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 important role in reducing car emissions.

The invention followed a months-long investigation that started with a January tip that someone was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial space close to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“We have been very shocked 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 buying and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face extra expenses.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of 1000's of automobile and truck house owners within the pocketbook and frustrated police, who are faced with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to unravel even if they find the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters should not imprinted on the manufacturing facility with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market where they are chopped open for the precious metals they contain.

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing laws designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. According to the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been launched this yr 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 cases a crime and provides detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that buy authentic used gadgets. They must mark the merchandise with the donor vehicle's serial quantity and retain it for no less than every week in authentic condition.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fine for the primary offense, a $2,000 high quality for a second and at least double that for every extra time they are caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that do not meet new necessities may face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws is also in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a bill backed by the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new units, provide grants for applications to stamp numbers on existing automobiles and trucks and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance coverage typically does not cover a automotive proprietor's losses. Somebody carrying simply liability protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the complete bill. Even with comprehensive protection, there's a deductible that may be high enough that it is not value filing a declare.

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