A catalytic converter (FILE PHOTO)
It’s no secret that catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise recently due to the value of the precious metals they contain, which may be why several catalytic converter thefts are currently under investigation by the authorities in Milford Township, Bucks County.
In news releases issued Sunday, Pennsylvania State Police at Dublin said they are investigating three catalytic converter theft incidents in the township, the first of which occurred March 4 at Quakertown Veterinary Clinic at 2250 N. Old Bethlehem Pike.
Police said that shortly after 4 a.m., the occupant(s) of a silver sedan used a saw to cut a catalytic converter off a 2002 Ford F-150 diesel pickup truck that was parked on the west side of the clinic’s lot, before fleeing in an unknown direction.
The stolen equipment was valued at approximately $600, police said.
In a separate case under investigation by Richland Township Police, Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers said the occupant(s) of a black Nissan Sentra suspected in other area catalytic converter thefts fled a police pursuit on Rt. 309 early on the morning of March 4.
State police did not indicate whether or not that theft might be connected to the one that occurred around the same time in nearby Milford Township, or whether two other thefts that occurred several weeks later might be connected.
The other two thefts were reported last week, according to the state police news releases.
One of them happened March 25 in the parking lot of the Dunkin Donuts on Rt. 663 (located at 1918 John Fries Highway, Quakertown) and involved a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander, which police said had its catalytic converter valued at approximately $2,000 removed at around 3:30 p.m. by an occupant of a grey vehicle that may have been a 2018 Toyota Camry.
Police said the other theft happened sometime between noon on March 22 and 4 p.m. March 25 at a property on Allentown Road.
In that incident, police said a catalytic converter was removed from a 2017 Hyundai Accent that was being stored on jacks during a restoration project.
“No other items were stolen from within the vehicle even though there was cash in plain view,” police said, adding that the stolen catalytic converter was valued at approximately $2,000.
Anyone with information about any of the recent thefts should contact state police at the Dublin barracks by calling 215-249-9191.