With the theft of catalytic converters prevalent in the Tucson area and around the nation, an upcoming etching event seeks to provide one layer of protection to vehicle owners.
This Saturday, Aug. 28, the Tucson Police Department will host the event with Brake Masters, 351 W. Valencia Road, Jiffy Lube, 3260 N. Oracle Road, and Kenny’s Exhaust Works, 275 W. Fort Lowell Road, No. 2. The businesses will etch your vehicle’s catalytic converter with the last eight characters of the vehicle identification number at no cost.
To participate, vehicle owners will need to contact one of the businesses to set up an appointment for Aug. 28.
Allstate insurance said the metals in catalytic converters, such as platinum, palladium or rhodium, are valuable to metal recyclers.
It usually costs around $1,000 or more to repair the emission-control device, which can be stolen from a vehicle in 15 minutes or less using a power tool.
For more information or questions about the event, call the Tucson Police Department at (520) 791-4467.
