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