Amidst a rash of catalytic converter thefts in the city, Davis police will partner with a local auto-care shop next month to offer free converter etching services to some vehicle owners, the police department reported.
The service will consist of etching car owners' license or vehicle identification numbers on the converters to assist police in recovery efforts should the converters be stolen, according to a department release. It will be offered June 11, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Davis Muffler and Hitch at 2613 2nd St. in Davis.
The offer is only available to Davis residents or people employed in Davis, the release states. Because catalytic converter thieves appear to target a particular make and model of vehicles, the only vehicles eligible for the service are 1990-2002 Toyota pickups, Tacomas and 4-Runners.
Davis police have already received 38 reports this year of catalytic converter theft, mostly in the west Davis area, marking a sharp increase in that particular kind of theft compared to 2010, the release states. Thieves target the converters, which are used to reduce smog emissions, for the precious metals they contain.
Using a reciprocating saw or screwdriver, a thief reportedly needs less than one minute to remove a converter from the underside of a vehicle, the release states. The converter can be recycled for about $200, while the cost to the victim to replace a converter can fall anywhere between $600 and $2,000, it states.
Converters are generally very difficult to recover because they lack identifiable markings. The etching services offered by Davis police and Davis Muffler and Hitch next month are an effort to combat that issue.
Police will also urge local scrap dealers to report attempted recycling of etched converters and ask local law enforcement agencies to contact the department if they recover an etched converter, the release states.
Appointments are recommended for the etching service June 11. Anyone with questions about the service or wanting to make an appointment can contact the Davis Police Department's Community Oriented Policing Unit at (530) 747-5411. The actual etching service will take about 10-15 minutes.
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