Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing a number of theft fees Friday after detectives found greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the expensive auto parts that play a critical position in lowering vehicle emissions.

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

“We were very shocked on the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier stated 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 promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and may face further charges.

The huge rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of automotive and truck owners in the pocketbook and frustrated police, who're confronted with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is tough to resolve even if they find the stolen parts.

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

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

The insurance group counted simply 3,969 reviews of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, greater than 17,000 in 2020 and greater than 52,000 last 12 months.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing laws designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In accordance with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been introduced this year 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 lots of situations a criminal offense and provides detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that buy professional used devices. They must mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial quantity and retain it for no less than per week in original situation.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 nice for the first offense, a $2,000 effective for a second and not less than double that for every additional time they're caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws can also be within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new devices, supply grants for packages to stamp numbers on present cars and vans and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance often doesn't cowl a car proprietor's losses. Somebody carrying just liability coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the full invoice. Even with comprehensive protection, there's a deductible which may be excessive sufficient that it isn't value submitting a claim.

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