Catalytic capers plague county

A catalytic converter is designed to take some of the pollutants out of your car's exhaust. But some enterprising criminals are deciding to take those converters out of your car.

Seventy-four converters have been reported stolen to county police in the past three months - 47 in just the past two weeks. Each was cut out from underside of a truck, van or SUV.

Police suspect most are sold on the street to shady repair shops and at-home garages. Some metal experts and mechanics, however, believe they also end up in area scrap yards. The devices contain small amounts of platinum and other precious metals.

"There is a big...