VIN etching

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VIN etching is a countermeasure to motor vehicle theft. In its most common implementation, it involves the use of a stencil and glass etching paste to etch a vehicle's vehicle identification number (VIN) onto its windshield and windows. Any thief would have to replace the glass before selling the stolen vehicle, thus reducing or eliminating their profit.

Most of the parts on a vehicle have at least a partial VIN stamped on them, and reputable auto parts buyers will not buy parts that have identification numbers. Should a thief try to sell the parts from a vehicle for profit, those stamped parts carry a higher risk for both thief and disreputable auto parts seller. Since the glass has no identification number, and is often readily interchangeable with many different years and models of vehicle, there is often a much greater profit for the thief compared to other components on the vehicle.

You can not simply grind out the numbers in the glass as it would be obvious to everyone walking past that something is not right. Replacing the glass is a very expensive and time consuming task therefore the professional thief prefers to move onto an easier target.

VIN Etching is recommended by Police and insurance agencies. Some insurance agencies offer a discount off the comprehensive portion of your insurance or waive your insurance deductible if your vehicle is protected by VIN Etching.

Many etching companies will pay compensation in the event that an etched vehicle is stolen. Some vehicle insurance companies offer discounts on their premiums for VIN etching. VIN etching is offered by many car dealerships.

Some experts in the vehicle security marking and identification field believe that a unique arbitrary number should be applied to vehicle windows rather than the VIN. This is due to the fact that the VIN is the primary identifying mark for a vehicle and is used in vehicle ownership documentation and in some cases can be used to fraudulently obtain a new set of keys for a vehicle, thus helping motor vehicle thieves.

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