The Richardson Police Department, North Texas Auto Theft Task Force and Target are partnering to provide free VIN etchings on Wednesday, July 18th.  The event will be outside in the parking lot of Target, located at 601 S. Plano Rd. in Richardson from 10am until 1pm. Contact the Crime Prevention Unit at 972-744-4955 if you have questions.

VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) etching a vehicle's VIN onto the windows is a deterrent to vehicle theft. Most parts on a vehicle already have at least a partial VIN stamped onto them, and many  auto parts buyers will not purchase parts that carry identification numbers. Should a thief try to sell the parts from a vehicle for profit, those marked parts carry a higher risk for both the thief and the auto parts seller. Since automotive glass generally has no identification numbers and is often interchangeable among many different years and models of vehicles, it usually yields a much greater profit for a thief compared to other components on the vehicle, because a vehicle's windows are stamped with the VIN, thieves would need to discard the glass before "parting out" the stolen vehicle, thus reducing or eliminating their profit. VIN etching can also increase the odds of recovery of a stolen vehicle.