Glass VIN Etching

[Melio]

I was flipping thru channels on discovery and I caught some chop shop owner get busted and they arrested him on a 92 talon infront of his chop shop (intact).

After that segment, they showed a pretty intelligent concept.

Etch the vehical identification number (VIN) into all the windows, so the car is a little easyer to identify when it's recovered when stolen.

They said basicly, it was a sticker that you printed out on your computer that's resistant to acid, and you brush on the acid let it etch and pull the sticker off, wipe the area down to remove the acid.

anyone know if they sell this as a kit, I'm not really in the mood to experiment with acid.

92 talon tsi -

 

[machgsx]

Saw the same show...I think you might be able to get it thru the DMV.

 

[wastefuldreamer]

Check computer case modding sites. They have etching kits i believe. One of the forums is hardforums.com ask in there and they could tell you how to do it.

 

[Melio]

Maby someone should learn how to do this, sell the kit If anyone wants me to write software to print the vins, let me know. I can do that for 50$

 

[wastefuldreamer]

its called microsoft word.

 

[DGajre777]

Old thread but here is the link - http://www.vinetcher.com/

There is a thread on here about thieves writing down your vin number and then going to the dealership to get the keys saying it is their car, they locked the registration in their car, don't have the title, etc.

I am going to the local dealership tomorrow and going to ask them what they check before they make duplicate keys.

Other products are http://www.platelockers.com/ and http://www.idsticker.com, I found these on this link -
http://www.auto-theft.info/prevention-tips.htm


Vehicle Theft Prevention Tips

1. Always Take Your Keys. Never leave them in the car. Nearly 20% of all vehicles stolen had the keys in them.

2. Always Lock Your Car. Approximately 50% of all vehicles stolen were left unlocked.

3. Never Hide A Second Set of Key In Your Car. Extra keys can easily be found if a car thief takes time to look.

4. Park in Well-lighted Areas. Over half of all vehicle thefts occur at night.

5. Park in Attended Lots. Auto thieves do not like witnesses and prefer unattended parking lots.

6. If you Park in an attended lot, leave only the ignition/door key. If your trunk and glovebox use the same key as the door, have one of them changed. don't give the attendant easy access to your glovebox and trunk. Upon returning, check the tires, spare and battery to insure they are the same as those you had when you parked.

7. Never leave your car running,even if you will only be gone for a minute. Vehicles are commonly stolen at convenience stores, gas stations, ATM's, etc. Many vehicles are also stolen on cold mornings when the owner leaves the vehicle running to warm up. Leaving your key in an unattended motor vehicle is a crime in some states.

8. Completely close your car windows when parking. Don't make it any easier for the thief to enter your vehicle.

9. Don't Leave Valuables in Plain View. Don't make your car a more desirable target and attract thieves by leaving valuables in plain sight.

10. Park with With Your Wheels Turned towards the curb. Make your car tough to tow away. Wheels should also be turned to the side in driveways and parking lots.

11. If Your Vehicle is Rear-Wheel Drive, Back Into Your Driveway. Front-wheel drive vehicles should be parked front end first. On four-wheel drive vehicles the rear wheels sometimes lock, making them difficult to tow.

12. Always Use Your Emergency Brake When Parking. In addition to ensuring safety, using the emergency brake makes your car harder to tow.

13. If You Have a Garage, Use It. If you have a garage, take the time to use it rather than parking outside where your vehicle is more vulnerable.

14. When Parking in a Garage, Lock the Garage Door and Your Vehicle. By locking both the garage and vehicle doors, the chances of deterring a thief greatly improve.

15. Don't Leave the Registration or Title in Your Car. A car thief will use these to sell your stolen car. File the title at your home or office, and carry registration in your purse or wallet.

16. Disable Your Vehicle When Leaving it Unattended for an Extended Period. Remove the electronic ignition fuse, coil wire, rotor distributor, or otherwise disable your vehicle anytime thieves may have extended access to it.

17. Replace "T" shaped Door Locks With Straight Locks. Some vehicle doors have lock assemblies at window level that flare out in a knob or "T' shape. A thief can use various tools to gain access inside the vehicle, grab and pull the lock. Straight locks prevent this.

18. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Stolen cars/parts are more easily traced when vehicle VIN numbers have been etched on car windows and major parts. IDstickers include VINs and can assist police in identifying your vehicle in the event that it is stolen.

19. Engrave Expensive Accessories. Engrave personal I.D. numbers on car stereos, cellular phones, etc., so the thief will have difficulty disposing of them. Do the same for car by using an IDsticker and VIN etching.

20. Drop Business Cards, Address Labels, or Other I.D. Inside Vehicle Doors. Car thieves usually alter vehicle identification numbers. By marking your vehicle a much as possible, you assist police in identifying your car.

21. Ignition Kill Switch. Splice an inexpensive toggle switch into your ignition wire or to your starter. The trick is hiding the switch well. Keypads, pressure pads and more expensive "Immobilizes" and "Passkeys" can also be used.

22. Fuel Kill Switch. The valve that halts the fuel supply is closed.

23. Visible Steering Wheel Lock. Prevents the steering wheel from being turned.

24. Floorboard Locks. Devices that disable the gas or brake pedal.

25. Gearshift Locks. Disables shifting of the transmission.

26. Tire/Wheel Locks. Prevents the vehicle from moving.

27. Hood Locks. Prevents the thief from gaining access to your security system and battery.

28. Armored Collar Around the Steering Column. Protects the column and ignition.

29. Alarms. Loud warnings sound when doors/hood/trunk are opened. Optional sensors include glass breakage, motion, tampering and towing. Panic buttons, back-up batteries, flashing parking lights or headlights, and automatic engine disable features are also recommended.

30. Vehicle Tracking. Transmitter hidden in car enables police to track car. IDsticker enables police and citizens to identify stolen car.

31. Be suspicious of any deal that sound too good to be true.

32. When buying from a private individual, make sure the title and registration match the name and address of the person selling the car.

33. Be cautious of a seller with no fixed address of employment or phone number.

34. Ask the seller for references about past financing and insurance on the vehicle. Verify the information with the bank, finance company, or agent.

35. Ensure the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate on the automobile dash is present, secure, and has no loose rivets. Check to see if there is an IDsticker in the glove box that matches VIN on dashboard.

36. Ensure that the VIN plate has not been repainted and the numbers stamped in the plate appear to be original factory numbers.

37. Ensure the VIN plate rivets are original. All 1970 and newer automobiles produced in North America have stainless steel "rosette" rivets with six petals and a hole inside the middle. They are difficult to scratch with a knife.

38. Thieves may remove the VIN plate and replace it with one from a similar wrecked vehicle. If in doubt about plate authenticity,check with a new car dealer who handles the same model or contact a law enforcement agency.

39. The VIN on the dash must match the vin on the registration, title and federal safety inspection sticker on the drivers door.

40. If the VIN plate is scratched, bent or missing rivets, tampering may have occurred.

41. Make sure the federal safety inspection sticker, located on the driver's door or door jamb, is securely in place and none of the numbers appear to be tampered with.

42. Use special license plate locking screws to make it hard for thieves to remove your license plate during a robbery.

43. An excessively loose ignition switch may indicate tampering. Check the switch for chisel or pull marks.

44. Be wary of a fresh paint job on a newer vehicle. This may indicate an attempt to change the car's identity.

45. Check the inspection and license plate stickers to be sure they are current and issued by the same state.

46. If the seller provides you with only re-made keys, not original manufacturer's keys, for a newer model car, be suspicious.

47. Titles and registrations are frequently counterfeited. Therefore, demand the title before paying, and make sure it matches the registration. By completing all paperwork at the time of sale, you avoid giving the thief extra time to obtain fraudulent documents.

48. Question the seller if the registration was recently issued on an older vehicle.

49. Compare the engine identification numbers with all other numbers to ensure a match.

50. Be cautious of new license plates on an old car, or new plate bolts on an older plate.

 

[EuroGSTSpyder]

In sweden it has been required ,for quite a few years, by many insurance companies to do that etching on import cars if you want to get a insureance. They sell the etching kit very cheap to make ppl do this to their cars IE minimizing chances of it getting stolen.

You get a precut sticker that you put on the window, add the acid with a brush and let it sit for a minute or two and then remove the sticker, voila: Licenceplate number etched in the glass.

 

[mavisky]

We do it to all of our new cars, not the vin numbe exactly, but a specific 9 digit number that is then recorded onto the purchase contract of any new vehicle we sell.

 

[hi_psi_dsm07]

I want to check all of the places my vin # should be, cause after reading that, I'm kind a suspicious. Could anyone tell me?

 

[rich3389]

My 2g has a number etched in every window. Its not the vin but some serial number that they can use in case it gets stolen...I didnt think this was a new concept.

 

[northendtrooper]

or drill tiny holes in a sequence behind the plate on the back bumper. like. 1/8" wide should do it. just little things that you would know it would be easier to identify by

 

[Defiant]

My 1G had etched windows. Trouble is, especially around here (#1 and #2, yay), is that cars aren't stolen to be chopped. They're stolen to get used an hour or two and thrown away, and usually burned. Sometimes the radio, or wheels, or tires get stolen. We used to have a problem with Hondas going overseas, or Saturns getting taken apart, or Chevy trucks heading south. But organization on that level is no longer the prevalent motive. Nothing is, it's just crankheads maybe hoping to score a few hundred by selling the car to someone even more stupid than they are, if they can find one.
Confidential VINs are called that for a reason. I'm sure the information is on the internaweb someplace.
The shop manual also shows where both original and replacement part VINs are on things like the fenders, doors, hatches, bumpers and other places.

 

[Chuck_3]

We do it to all of our new cars, not the vin numbe exactly, but a specific 9 digit number that is then recorded onto the purchase contract of any new vehicle we sell.

Same thing they did to all the new and used cars at the last dealership I worked for. Its been around for a while.

 

[jawar666]

One more Theft Prevention Tip to add to the list of DGajre777:

51. If you have a laptop, then put it in the trunk where noone can't see it... Make sure nobody is watching when you're putting it in the trunk, otherwise the thieves might follow you until you leave your car unattended to break into the trunk...

52. When leaving your laptop in the trunk, make sure to shut it down; don't leave it on 'Stand By' or 'Hibernate'; some thieves may use a wireless sniffer or a bluetooth device to detect electronics in the trunks of cars... especially in unattended parking lots...

 

[turkeyman87]

My car has the VIN in every window, I think its quite odd...