By The Kern County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) and Beto’s Automotive are teaming up to provide a free service to help car owners prevent catalytic converter theft. The service, which involves painting and etching the catalytic converter with the license plate number, will be available on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at Beto’s Automotive on East California Avenue in Bakersfield.
Catalytic converters are devices that reduce the harmful emissions from the exhaust system of a car. They contain precious metals, such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which make them valuable to thieves who can sell them for scrap. Catalytic converter theft can cost car owners hundreds or thousands of dollars to replace, as well as damage the car and the environment.
According to the KCSO, catalytic converter theft has been on the rise in Kern County, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the KCSO received 1,026 reports of catalytic converter theft, compared to 191 reports in 2019. The KCSO said that most of the thefts occurred in residential areas, parking lots, and businesses, and that the thieves targeted cars that were parked for long periods of time, such as overnight or during the day.
KCSO and Beto’s Automotive Provide Free Painting and Etching Service
To help car owners deter and identify catalytic converter theft, the KCSO and Beto’s Automotive are offering a free painting and etching service on Saturday, Feb. 24. The service will involve spraying the catalytic converter with a bright color, such as orange or yellow, and etching the license plate number on it. The KCSO said that this will make the catalytic converter more visible and less attractive to thieves, as well as easier to trace and recover if stolen.
The service will be available from 9 a.m. to noon at Beto’s Automotive on East California Avenue in Bakersfield. The service is open to all car owners in Kern County, and no appointment is necessary. The service will take about 15 minutes per car, and the car owners will need to provide their license plate number and registration.
The KCSO and Beto’s Automotive said that they hope that the service will raise awareness and prevent catalytic converter theft in the county, and that they plan to offer more events like this in the future.
KCSO and Beto’s Automotive Advise Car Owners to Take Precautions
In addition to the painting and etching service, the KCSO and Beto’s Automotive also advised car owners to take other precautions to protect their catalytic converters, such as:
- Parking in well-lit and secure areas, or in a garage if possible.
- Installing an alarm or a motion sensor on the car, or a device that locks the catalytic converter to the car frame.
- Marking the catalytic converter with a unique identifier, such as a serial number or a VIN number, and keeping a record of it.
- Reporting any suspicious activity or theft to the KCSO or the local law enforcement agency.
The KCSO and Beto’s Automotive said that they are committed to working together to combat catalytic converter theft, and to serving the community and the environment.