MONROEVILLE — Allegheny County officials say manhole covers are becoming all the rage among people who steal metal items they can sell for scrap.

With scrap metal prices rising, police have seen people stealing live copper power lines from poles.

Catalytic converters, which reduce air pollution on vehicles, are also popular because they contain small amounts of platinum and other precious metals.

And now, police say, manhole covers are coveted. Dozens have been stolen from county roads this year.

But it seems the Pittsburgh area is just starting to experience the wave. The Philadelphia water department has reported about 2,000 stolen manhole covers in the last year and police in Phoenix, Cleveland and Miami have been plagued by such crimes.