The police department of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Jiffy Lube have partnered together to track catalytic converters and reduce theft, KOB 4 reports.
Both residents and visitors of New Mexico may visit a Jiffy Lube to have their vehicle’s identification number etched on their catalytic converter, as well as have it spray painted with bright green color. The process takes around five minutes and is free of charge.
Albuquerque police believe these measures will help reduce theft as any marked catalytic converter that is stolen can be traced back to its original owner. The city has taken other measures to help reduce catalytic converter thefts, such as signing a city ordinance requiring records of purchases from scrap metal dealers, and a bill advocating for higher detailed records being kept by secondhand metal dealers.
Since starting the program in April, Jiffy Lube has marked around 500 catalytic converters. Jiffy Lube owner Richard Jones hopes to mark at least 50,000 by the end of the year and is urging other shops to do the same.
“We call on every quick lube, every mechanic shop, every facility designed to get underneath a vehicle to join us in marking the accessible catalytic converters,” Jones said.
