Deter auto theft with free VIN etching by police until 2 p.m. today, Oct. 13

If you are looking for a way to deter auto thieves, take your vehicles to the Shops at Signal Hill shopping center, 9692 Liberia Ave. in Manassas (20110), today, Saturday, Oct. 13, until 2 p.m. – for VIN etching on all of your vehicle windows. Prince William County and Manassas police departments and Virginia State Police’s H.E.A.T. Program, are sponsoring this free event.

What You Will Need on October 13th
Only a person named on a vehicle’s registration can authorize a VIN etching, so you will need to take these documents with you:
• Valid Driver’s License
• Current Registration

All vehicles carry a federally-assigned number known as a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Making sure those numbers are marked permanently on a vehicle’s windows can help drive car thieves away.

According to a news release, a vehicle’s VIN is etched into the glass with a chemical solution, and those numbers will be there for good. VIN etching obliterates any potential profit professional thieves might have gleaned from the lucrative practice of selling windows and windshields for parts through chop shops, the release said.

For information about the H.E.A.T. Program, go to http://www.HEATREWARD.com