Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with multiple theft fees Friday after detectives discovered greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the expensive auto components that play a vital role in reducing car emissions.

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

“We were very stunned on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said in a police video taken Thursday as officers had 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 extra charges.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automobile and truck house owners in the pocketbook and pissed off police, who're faced with a crime that takes simply minutes to commit and is tough to solve even if they find the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters are not imprinted on the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market where they are chopped open for the dear metals they comprise.

Changing one can price a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, according to the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance coverage trade group that works to fight insurance 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, greater than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 final 12 months.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing legislation designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. In keeping with the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been introduced this 12 months in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That features Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many situations against the law and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that buy legit used units. They need to mark the item with the donor vehicle's serial quantity and retain it for at the least per week in original condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 high-quality for the first offense, a $2,000 effective for a second and at the very least double that for every additional time they are caught. These possessing or trying to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements might face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation can be within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that will require serial numbers on new devices, offer grants for applications to stamp numbers on current vehicles and vehicles and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe referred to as it a critical step in serving to bring relief to individuals instantly impacted by the thefts.

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

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