A Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station spokesman said Monday an upcoming catalytic converter etching event is booked up, but deputies will still help out walk-ups as the schedule and timing allow.
The station recently announced that, from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, detectives from the Task Force for Regional Auto Theft Prevention, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s TRAP unit, will be on hand to help residents who want their catalytic converters etched.
Putting a serial number on the oft-stolen car part, desirable by thieves for the valuable, conductive metals inside, can help detectives track and discourage theft, according to officials.
The community response to the offer of help was “overwhelming,” Deputy Robert Jensen wrote in a Facebook post Monday.
While catalytic converter thefts haven’t seen a big uptick recently, Jensen wasn’t surprised by the high demand for appointments this weekend.
Catalytic converter thefts have been an off-and-on crime trend in the SCV that The Signal has reported on for years.
Even when thieves are caught on video in broad daylight, the part can be taken so quickly that it’s difficult to prevent the thefts completely.
In the past two years, there’s actually been a bit of a drop-off in the total numbers.
From January to June in 2023, there were 172 of the thefts reported to the station, almost one every other day. Last year over that same time period there were 96.
Despite the fact that there have only been about 30 of them so far this year, people are still making requests frequently for etching help, Jensen said.
“People have been asking for a catalytic converter-etching event,” Jensen said by phone Monday. “There’s been other stations in the county that have offered it, and we have a tremendous partnership that’s been in the works for a little bit.”
There are several local businesses that are helping out the station with the event, he said, mentioning the hosts, the Harley-Davidson and L.A. Police Gear parking lot at 28704 The Old Road in Valencia, and Freeway Towing, which is helping to lift the vehicles.
Members of the TRAP team who actually investigate the thefts will be the ones on hand with the laser-etching guns, Jensen said, making themselves available for 50 appointments.
Each etching is expected to take about five minutes, Jensen said, so the number of appointments was an estimate, and deputies wanted to mention the possibility of walk-ups in case anyone cancels or there’s extra time available.
“We encourage those without appointments to arrive early and be patient,” Jensen noted in his social media post, “as our team will do its best to fit in as many walk-ins as possible throughout the morning.”
A recent Prince William County law enforcement post on social media shared the following tips with residents to discourage catalytic converter thefts:
• If you have a garage, use it. Park inside and keep all garage doors closed and locked. If not, try to park in well-lit areas, close to building entrances when possible.
• Install motion-detecting security cameras and/or motion sensor lighting.
• Calibrate your vehicle’s alarm to go off when it detects vibration.
• Etch your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on your catalytic converter or paint entirely with high temperature paint.
• Consider a Catalytic Converter lock.
• Pay attention if you hear unusual sawing or wrenching noises coming from the street or parking structure.
• Park in a manner to make underneath access difficult.
• If you are a business with a fleet of vehicles, park lower-situated vehicles close to those with high-ground clearance to help prevent access.
• Report all suspicious activity immediately.
