Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with multiple theft prices Friday after detectives found more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto parts that play a vital position in lowering automobile emissions.

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

“We were very surprised on the quantity 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 selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face further costs.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of thousands of automobile and truck owners within the pocketbook and annoyed police, who're faced with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is tough to solve even when they discover the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters are not imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market the place they're chopped open for the precious metals they include.

Replacing one can price a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in keeping with the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurance industry group that works to combat insurance fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for every converter.

The insurance coverage group counted just 3,969 experiences of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 final year.

Lawmakers throughout the nation have taken discover, introducing laws designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. In keeping with the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments 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 lots of instances against the law and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that buy reliable used gadgets. They must mark the item with the donor car's serial number and retain it for not less than a week in original condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fine for the first offense, a $2,000 positive for a second and a minimum of double that for every additional time they're caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that do not 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 Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau that would require serial numbers on new units, offer grants for applications to stamp numbers on current vehicles and vans and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance coverage typically does not cover a automobile owner's losses. Someone carrying just liability protection or liability and collision is on the hook for the total bill. Even with comprehensive coverage, there's a deductible that could be high sufficient that it is not value filing a claim.

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