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Albuquerque Police Etch VINs Onto Car Windows to Deter Thieves
KOB4 ^ | 04/28/2012 | Eddie Garcia

Posted on 04/29/2012 11:23:21 AM PDT by nickcarraway

Albuquerque police are trying to make life harder for car thieves.

Police etched Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) into car windshields and windows on Saturday free of charge.

Brenda Baca said she isn't taking any chances as she had her VIN etched into all her windows.

"Got a new car and I just thought this would be a good idea," said Baca.

Virginia Garcia thinks it's good idea too, especially lately.

"There's so many thieves out there. I mean they're just taking our stuff at liberty," said Baca.

Police said they're cracking down on vehicle thieves hard and this is just one more way to detour them from stealing cars.

"This is a permanently etched number in the glass of your vehicle that the auto theft unit police departments can go to," said APD Auto Theft Detective Joel Block.

You might be thinking the thieves will just replace the glass in a chop shop.

Not so according to detectives who work car theft cases everyday.

"Glass is one of the most expensive components to replace in a vehicle, it's very time consuming and labor intensive to get that replaced and auto thieves do not like to do that," said Block.

Police say thieves will most likely target other cars that don't have the VIN etching.

For Baca, getting it done and out of the way is just a matter of common sense.

"They're helping us out so why not take advantage of something they're giving us so we can help them also," said Baca.

Albuquerque police say a few years ago the Duke City was number seven in the nation for car thefts.

That number has improved to about 20 this year.


TOPICS: Local News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: autothefts; carthefts; vin
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To: TigersEye

I like the way you think!


21 posted on 04/29/2012 2:00:33 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: Tijeras_Slim
Nothing like turning over a minty Smith or Colt and seeing 123-45-6789 electro-penciled in the trigger guard.

I hope you don't get a visit from the authories for divulging Obama's Soc. Sec. #.

22 posted on 04/29/2012 2:08:02 PM PDT by BfloGuy (The final outcome of the credit expansion is general impoverishment.)
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To: Tijeras_Slim
I have all kinds of ornery ideas! ;^)

Most of them never see action.
But it's nice to have some backup plans on file.

23 posted on 04/29/2012 2:08:02 PM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: Tijeras_Slim
Nothing like turning over a minty Smith or Colt and seeing 123-45-6789 electro-penciled in the trigger guard.

I hope you don't get a visit from the authorities for divulging Obama's Soc. Sec. #.

24 posted on 04/29/2012 2:08:53 PM PDT by BfloGuy (The final outcome of the credit expansion is general impoverishment.)
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To: TigersEye

The copper thievery is so out of control this is most likely a stopgap measure. I have even stopped copper thieves that have made makeshift grappeling hooks to rip copper guttering down.


25 posted on 04/29/2012 2:09:56 PM PDT by Molon Labbie (A Bounty on Zimmerman, Can Be A Bounty On ANYONE. No NBPP Mob Justice!)
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To: nickcarraway

Whoopee.
The number is already on the frame, transmission and other places. VIN on a window? Replace the window.


26 posted on 04/29/2012 2:10:54 PM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink)
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To: R. Scott
It's good to know that you're not a car thief and don't own a chop shop. (See post #15) ;-)

FWIW it wasn't the first thing that came to my mind either.

27 posted on 04/29/2012 2:24:05 PM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: SkyDancer; DManA

Engrave your social security number on it! Smart. Better put on your mother’s maiden name, maternal grandfather’s names, first pet.


28 posted on 04/29/2012 4:14:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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