Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through a number of 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 pricy auto components that play a essential function in lowering automobile emissions.

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

“We have been very stunned at the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier stated 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 shopping for and selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face additional costs.

The huge rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of 1000's of automotive and truck house owners within the pocketbook and frustrated police, who're faced with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is tough to solve even when they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters usually are not imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market the place they're chopped open for the valuable metals they contain.

Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in response to 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 reviews of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 last yr.

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

That features Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many instances a crime and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that buy reputable used units. They have to mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial quantity and retain it for no less than a week in unique condition.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 positive for the primary offense, a $2,000 fantastic for a second and no less than double that for every further time they are caught. These possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new necessities could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation can also be in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new units, provide grants for packages to stamp numbers on present vehicles and vans and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe called it a vital step in serving to carry aid to individuals directly impacted by the thefts.

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

“Lastly, some victims even with protection could treat the problem as a mechanical concern and simply pay for it themselves and never notify their insurer,” insurance crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman stated Friday.