PHOTO: The Victoria Police Department will provide vehicle identification number etching at no cost to residents.
The Victoria Police Department offers vehicle identification number etching as a free service to help residents avoid becoming victims of vehicle theft.
The next VIN etching event will be 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 12 at Victoria Masonic Lodge No. 40, 3502 N. Navarro St.
Residents will need to display a driver’s license and proof of vehicle insurance. Also, the vehicle’s registered owner must be present.
A car is stolen every five and a half minutes in Texas. Officer John Turner with the Community Engagement Unit explained that having the VIN etched on the windows of a vehicle greatly reduces the odds that the vehicle will be stolen.
Every vehicle is equipped with a VIN plate on the dashboard. Car thieves can easily replace these plates with counterfeit plates.
However, when the windows are etched with the VIN, a thief has to replace all the windows and dispose of the glass. This will cost the thief time and money, so a thief who sees that a vehicle has VIN etching will be less likely to steal that vehicle.
Etching may also increase the resale value of the vehicle, and some insurance companies may offer a discount if a vehicle has the VIN etched on the windows.
For more information about the event, contact the Community Engagement Unit at 361-485-3808 or PoliceCEU@victoriatx.gov.
To learn more about Victoria Police Department events and programs, visit www.victoriatx.gov/police.