VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) is hosting a free catalytic converter engraving event on Saturday in the hopes of reducing the theft of catalytic converters.
The event will be held at London Bridge Baptist Church from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In April of 2024, the VBPD engraved catalytic converters on over 80 vehicles .
“We’re excited to host another event this year that allows our community to help prevent themselves from becoming victims,” VBPD Police Chief Paul Neudigate said. “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 the VBPD, the process of engraving takes approximately 15 minutes. Engraving the VIN number helps to reduce the risk of it being sold to an auto parts recycler.
Other 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. “Thanks to incredible demand from our residents, we’re committed to giving everyone a chance to defend themselves from property crime.”