LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Anyone in the Los Angeles area looking to have their vehicle identification number etched onto their catalytic converter can do so Wednesday, courtesy of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Silverlake Reservoir at 1863 Silverlake Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Catalytic converters are devices beneath vehicles that are used in exhaust emissions to convert toxic pollutants into less-toxic byproducts, like water vapor and carbon dioxide.
In recent years the devices have been targeted for containing platinum, palladium and rhodium, which are all of value when resold.
Earlier this year, L.A. Police Chief Michel Moore and Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón called on state legislators to approve a
measure requiring auto dealers to engrave vehicle identification numbers on
catalytic converters, according to City News Service.
Senate Bill 986 was approved Monday, and comes at a time when Moore said about 20% of thefts from vehicles in L.A. involve catalytic converters.
LAPD Northeast Auto Detectives and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office Taskforce for Regional Auto Theft Prevention (TRAP) will be applying VINs onto the catalytic converters of anyone who requests the service.
At the event, people can also see some of the tools used by thieves in stealing catalytic converters from cars, along with several converters recovered in recent arrests.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
Related
