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Parker County to offer free vehicle identification number etching event to prevent theft

According to Allstate Insurance Company, VIN etchings act as an anti-theft tool because they make it difficult for thieves to sell the vehicle’s windows and to dispose of the car once it’s been stolen. 
According to Allstate Insurance Company, VIN etchings act as an anti-theft tool because they make it difficult for thieves to sell the vehicle’s windows and to dispose of the car once it’s been stolen.  File photo

The Parker County Sheriff’s Office will host a free vehicle identification number marking event on Saturday, which will allow vehicle owners to etch their car windows to act as a theft deterrent.

The event will take place at the sheriff’s office at 129 Hogle Street in Weatherford from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

A VIN etching permanently engraves a vehicle’s federally registered identification number onto its windshield and windows. According to Allstate Insurance Company, VIN etchings act as an anti-theft tool because they make it difficult for thieves to sell the vehicle’s windows and to dispose of the car once it’s been stolen.

In a social media post published Monday, Parker County Sheriff’s Office said acid-based etching cream and microdots to permanently mark vehicles will be used at the event. The event is sponsored by the Tarrant County Regional Auto-Theft Task Force through a grant funded by the Texas Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority.

The sheriff’s office said VIN etchings are recognized as an anti-theft device by most insurance carriers. According to a VIN fact sheet by Allstate Insurance Company, VIN etching is recommended by police and insurance agencies to protect against auto theft.

Megan Cardona
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Megan Cardona was a service journalism reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram until 2023. Reach our news team at tips@star-telegram.com.
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