Posted Dec 1, 2011, 10:44 am
Locking up your car is not enough to keep the vehicle from being stolen, Tucson police said.
Tucson ranked 22nd in the nation for auto theft in 2010, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Phoenix came in at number 56.
Etching a car's Vehicle Identification Number on a vehicle's parts can deter thieves, said Sgt. Matt Ronstadt, a spokesman for the Tucson Police Department.
TPD will offer free VIN etching Friday at SunWest Federal Credit Union, 7725 East Broadway, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
VIN etching uses a chemical solution to mark a car's ID number on every window, making it difficult for thieves to resell the vehicle and its parts.
"This process does not have any adverse effects on the windows, it is almost invisible, and it is permanent," Ronstadt said.
"VIN etching takes as little as ten minutes and may result in reduced insurance premiums," he said.
Auto theft detectives will etch VINs into vehicles for free, using materials provided by the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority.
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Detectives will also be collecting food for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Although a donation is not required to have your car's windows etched, police are encouraging participants to bring two cans of food for the Food Bank.
Julian Ybarra contributed to this report.
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