VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) is hosting a free catalytic converter engraving event on Saturday in hopes of reducing catalytic converter theft.

The event will take place at London Bridge Baptist Church from 9am to 3pm In April 2024, VBPD engraved catalytic converters on over 80 vehicles.

“We are excited to host another event this year that allows our community to help prevent themselves from becoming victims,” ​​said VBPD Police Chief Paul Neudigate. “This is another chance for us to work hand-in-hand with our residents to mitigate property crime in our city and help them protect their valuables.”

According to VBPD, the etching process takes about 15 minutes. Engraving the VIN helps reduce the risk of it being sold to an auto parts recycler.

Another way to reduce the risk of theft is to park in secure or well-lit areas with security cameras, police said.

“This event empowers our community to directly impact their safety in a positive way,” Neudigate said. “Due to incredible demand from our residents, we’ve decided to give everyone the chance to defend themselves against property crime.”

Those interested in attending can book an appointment Here.

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