A recent rash of robberies has spread throughout Washington County and has car owners concerned.

The so-called "Catalytic Burglar" has struck again. Last week, someone stole between 20 and 30 Catalytic Converters from D&D Exhaust in Waterford. The street value of the parts was about $2,000.

But replacing a stolen converter can quickly add up, when you tack on labor and extra parts. "if someone were to steal one off of your new car it could cost you as much as $1,000 just for one Catalytic Converter, to replace it," says Major John Winstanley, Washington County Sheriff's Department.

After they steal them, thieves usually sell them at scrap yards for a quick buck. "A converter might go anywhere from, the lowest grade, around four to nine dollars, and what they call an exotic can be up to $250," says Scott Ward, Owner of Ward's Recycling.

The Washington County Sheriff's Department has its suspicions of what happens to the money. "We think that the thefts are related to the purchase of drugs and it's a fast way to get money," says Major Winstanley.

But Ward's Recycling isn't new to the game, it's working closely with the Sheriff's Department in recovering these stolen converters. "We take their driver's license, we do record that and it goes into a computer, license plate numbers also get recorded. If the sheriff is investigating a certain case they can come out and pull up a name or that type of converter," says Ward.

The sheriff's department says it has several suspects in the Catalytic Converter thefts. But they also say this type of crime is growing and may be the latest crime making its way through the Mid-Ohio Valley.