A Stroudsburg man has been charged with stealing several catalytic converters from a Monroe County residence.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Pennsylvania State Police - Lehighton barracks in the case against Dennis Kowalski:

At 3:07 p.m. April 13, a caller said a man was taking parts off a vehicle parked on the property on the 5100 block of Brook Road, Polk Township. The caller said she contacted the property owner, who said that no one should be on the property.

The caller and her boyfriend told police they saw a white man with a distinct haircut getting out from underneath the front right wheel of the blue GMS Sierra pickup with a yellow cordless tool in his hand.

They also saw a dark red Dodge Stratus sedan at the end of Brook Road and Jonas Road. They said that one of the women asked for directions and said she believed her car may have overheated.

The two vehicles on the property had catalytic converters freshly cut from them.

Troopers saw the Stratus pull into the Valor House parking lot. One of the occupants, Daneva Purcell, 20, said that Kowalski stole the “cats” from the vehicle, and that she and her 17-year-old sister dropped Kowalski off when they stopped at Brook Road and Jonas Road and he walked off carrying a blanket and other items.

Purcell said she and her sister left the scene and later stopped to pick up Kowalski, who was walking on the shoulder of Jonas Road with a gray blanket and items under it. They said they weren’t aware of what he had.

Kowalski was taken into custody and also had glassine baggies with residue in his jean pockets.

Purcell said Kowalski put a blanket in the trunk of the car.

The blanket had two catalytic converters wrapped up in it. Police also found two more catalytic converters buried under clothing items, a small Coca-Cola bag containing a metal cutting saw blade; a DeWalt cordless reciprocating saw with batteries, and numerous pieces of contraband used with controlled substances.

People in the car said the bags belonged to Kowalski.

Kowalski faces charges on four counts each of theft by unlawful taking, theft from a motor vehicle, and receiving stolen property; two counts of criminal mischief; and one count each of possessing instrument of crime with intent, intentional possession of controlled substance by person not registered, and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.

He is incarcerated in the Monroe County Prison in lieu of $40,000 monetary bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary haring April 29 before District Judge Daniel Kresge of Stroudsburg.