With the increase in catalytic converter thefts statewide, a local sheriff's office has teamed up with a Pine Island business and is putting on an 'etch and catch' program in an effort to catch catalytic converter thieves red-handed with marked converters.

According to a post on the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, the event at Bird Auto Repair in Pine Island will take place on April 6th from 4 to 7pm. The event is all about marking your catalytic converters with either your license plate number or other marking into your converter that would hinder the thief from selling the converter for cash.

The Goodhue County Sheriff's office also stated that having your license number on the converter helps them track down who has been a victim of converter theft, and "makes your catalytic convertor less appealing to thieves."

Some things you can do to help prevent catalytic converter thefts according to the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office are:

  • Park your vehicle inside a locked garage. If that is not possible, park in a well-lit area and close to building entrances.
  • Calibrate your vehicle alarm to go off when it detects vibration.
  • Attend a “Etch and Catch” event to get your license plate number engraved onto your catalytic convertor. If you are not able to attend an event, ask your car care specialist if this is a service they offer.
  • If you see anything suspicious, call 911 right away so we can investigate. It only takes about 90 seconds for a catalytic convertor to be stolen so the faster you call, the more likely we are to catch the thieves.

There is an online sign-up for the event at Bird Auto Repair, that link to sign up is here. 

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