PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA) – AAA East Central is hosting a free Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Etching event on Wednesday to help motorists deter would-be thieves.
The event will be held at the AAA Wexford Branch Office (10548 Perry Hwy) from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
At the event, technicians will administer an acid-based solution in a customized stencil to permanently "etch" a vehicle's VIN on all the windows, making it less appealing to car thieves. The solution lightly marks the top layers of the glass without weakening them.
According to police, many thieves and "chop shops" have become wary of cars that are VIN-etched because they are less profitable during resale. This is because a stolen vehicle cannot be resold until the CIN is illegally changed. If the windows have an etched VIN, the glass has to be stripped and replaced, causing more money to a potential stolen car's resale.


