Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through a number of theft costs Friday after detectives discovered more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto parts that play a vital function in reducing vehicle emissions.

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

“We had been very surprised on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier mentioned 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 promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and may face further charges.

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

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

Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, based on the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance industry 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 just 3,969 experiences 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 laws designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. In keeping with the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been introduced this year in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That features Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of situations a crime and provides 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 per week in original condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fantastic for the first offense, a $2,000 advantageous for a second and at the very least double that for every further time they're caught. These possessing or attempting to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new necessities could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation can be in 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 existing automobiles and vans and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a essential step in serving to deliver relief to individuals instantly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage usually does not cover a car owner's losses. Somebody carrying just legal responsibility coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the full bill. Even with comprehensive protection, there is a deductible that may be excessive enough that it is not value filing a declare.

“Lastly, some victims even with coverage may 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 stated Friday.