Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing a number of theft charges Friday after detectives found 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 elements that play a important position in lowering 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 Worldwide Airport.

“We had been very shocked on the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier mentioned 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 selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and may face extra costs.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of 1000's of car and truck house owners in the pocketbook and annoyed police, who are confronted with against the law that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to unravel even when they discover the stolen parts.

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

Replacing one can price a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in accordance with 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 every converter.

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. According to the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been introduced this year in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many situations a criminal offense and provides detailed reporting requirements for scrap dealers that buy reputable used units. They need to mark the item with the donor car's serial quantity and retain it for at the least per week in unique situation.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 nice for the first offense, a $2,000 fine for a second and a minimum of double that for every additional time they're caught. These possessing or attempting to promote a used catalytic converter that don't meet new necessities may face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws is also within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau that would require serial numbers on new devices, provide grants for applications to stamp numbers on present automobiles 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 helping bring aid to individuals directly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance usually doesn't cover a automotive owner's losses. Someone carrying simply liability protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the total invoice. Even with complete protection, there's a deductible that may be high enough that it is not value filing a claim.

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