Denny Offsteiin holds the tool they use to cut catalytic converters from vehicles. One was stolen off his truck in front of his business.

Metal thieves are on the prowl in Butler County stealing catalytic converters from vehicles.

Since April 1, at least eight catalytic converters have been reported stolen to police.

The latest report came just this morning when the emissions control system parts were stolen from two vehicles at the Kar-Kare Auto Center in the Lyn-Mar Plaza, Butler Township.

On Wednesday morning, someone cut the same device off a woman's vehicle parked at the Park and Ride at Routes 422 and 19 in Muddy Creek Township.

A day earlier, the catalytic converter was taken off a 2004 Jeep Cherokee parked at the Avada Building on North Main Street in Butler Township.

“There seems to have been a rise in these kinds of thefts, not just here but in Allegheny County, too,” said Butler Township police Lt. Matthew Pearson, whose department is now investigating four such crimes in consecutive weeks.

Last week, township police took a report that a converter was stolen from a Dodge Ram pickup at Pro Built Transmission in the Lyn-Mar Plaza. That theft occurred between March 27 and April 1.

Pearson said they have a “person of interest” in at least some of their cases but no solid suspect yet.

Vehicle owners in Slippery Rock and Penn townships also have recently been victimized by similar crimes.

On Monday night, a thief apparently armed with a small electric saw cut the catalytic converter off a 1989 Chevrolet pickup truck at Denny Offstein Auto Sales on Hazel Avenue in Butler's Island neighborhood.

Thieves take these items to sell for the metal they have, including platinum that sells on the market for more than $1,000 an ounce.

Pearson said that his department and other neighboring departments are sharing information to determine if any of the reported thefts in Butler and surrounding counties are related.