'Etch To Protect' Program Aims To Prevent Catalytic Converter Thefts

A new free program aims to put the brakes on a growing crime issue affecting drivers.

"Etch to Protect" is the first program of its kind in Oklahoma. It marks catalytic converters to protect them from being stolen.

"It happens right now on a weekly basis, but most of those victims don't get the justification of knowing that the person that stole theirs was caught,” said Lt. Brad Staggs with the Tulsa Police Department.

Catalytic converter thefts are a growing problem across the country, and police say it's no different in Green Country.

"And most of the time right now, we have no way of tracking to be able to see if it was stolen, where it came from. So now, if we have a VIN number written on there, we can actually track that VIN number, and we can track that back to the owner to see if theirs has been stolen,” Staggs said.

That's why Tulsa Crime Stoppers, TPD, and local car dealerships teamed up on "Etch to Protect."

Drivers can take their car to one of three dealerships, where their car's catalytic converter will be painted and marked with the owner's VIN number.

Lt. Brad Staggs says that can help investigators track down the owner and catch the criminals.

"It's a major issue. Our dealership has been hit, as well as several other stores in town,” said Adam Ford, general manager of Don Thornton Volkswagen.

He hopes this program will stop thieves and metal recyclers from buying stolen converters.

"The cost to replace those things can be two to three thousand dollars,” Ford said.

Staggs says while stolen converters are often too damaged to return to people, he says this is a start to slowing down the crime.

"But we can at least make contact with the victim and let them know that we are catching people stealing catalytic converters,” Staggs said.

The first session is next Saturday. You can make an appointment online HERE