Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing multiple theft fees Friday after detectives found more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the expensive auto elements that play a critical role in reducing car emissions.

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

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

The huge rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of 1000's of automobile and truck homeowners within the pocketbook and pissed off police, who're faced with a criminal offense that takes simply minutes to commit and is troublesome to resolve even when they find the stolen parts.

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

Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurance trade group that works to combat insurance fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for each 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 yr.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing laws designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In line with the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this year 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 lots of instances against the law and provides detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that purchase authentic used devices. They must mark the item with the donor vehicle's serial quantity and retain it for at the least a week in authentic situation.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 positive for the first offense, a $2,000 nice for a second and at the very least double that for every further time they are caught. Those possessing or attempting to sell a used catalytic converter that do not meet new necessities may face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation is also within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that would require serial numbers on new units, provide grants for applications to stamp numbers on current cars and vehicles and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe called it a essential step in helping bring aid to individuals straight impacted by the thefts.

Insurance typically does not cowl a car owner's losses. Somebody carrying just legal responsibility protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the total bill. Even with complete coverage, there is a deductible that may be high sufficient that it's not value submitting a claim.

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