A rash of catalytic converter thefts have been reported in Rush Township and surrounding areas, according to state police Trooper Brian Cipko.

Cipko alerted Rush Township supervisors to the thefts last week, when he stopped at their meeting for a routine visit.

“Our concerns right now for the people in the township is that we’ve had a lot of catalytic converter thefts going on,” noted Cipko, a criminal investigator with Troop L in Frackville.

A number of thefts occurred in the village of Hometown.

“What’s concerning about that is that it is the business area,” he said.

The UPS facility on Lincoln Drive was hit, and thieves also targeted businesses on Claremont Avenue/Route 309.

“It’s a concern. They are getting a lot of people. I think we had about 15 in the township,” Cipko said.

Some of the thefts have occurred during the day, and they have also been reported in Tamaqua and Coaldale,

“There was one last week. (The person) hit a couple cars in Coaldale in the middle of the day,” Cipko said.

Thieves use power tools to remove the converters, which are located on the underside of a vehicle.

According to Universal Technical Institute, the mechanism reduces toxic fuel emissions by changing harmful compounds emitted from an engine into safe gases.

The converters consist of precious metals like platinum, rhodium and palladium. Thieves sell the high-priced metals on the black market.

During his visit, Cipko also noted that state police responded to 22 Rush Township incidents between January and March of 2021.

“This year we have a 200% increase and we are up to 71,” Cipko said.

The increase is likely linked to a period when the township was without a full-time police chief. Rick Weaver was hired to the post last month.