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Today, they will offer two programs to do just that.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Victoria Mall, police will register cars in the statewide HEAT program and etch vehicle identification numbers on windows, said officer Sherry Hornstein. Both programs are free.
By registering for HEAT – which stands for Help End Auto Theft – drivers invite police to stop their cars if they’re on the road between 1 and 5 a.m., Hornstein said.
Two stickers on the front and rear windows show a car has been registered, she said. The registration also gives agents at the border permission to stop the car and verify the driver is allowed to take it into Mexico, she said.
“Most of the stolen cars in Texas go south,” Hornstein said.
The HEAT stickers can deter many thieves, Hornstein said.
“They’re taking a chance of getting stopped,” she said.
Similarly, seeing a VIN etched into each window can give prospective thieves pause, Hornstein said.
“It has a pretty good record,” she said. “They know they have to replace hundreds of dollars of glass,” to get rid of the car’s true identity.
Although both programs are free, drivers must bring their insurance cards and driver’s licenses, Hornstein said.
Leslie Wilber is a reporter for the Victoria Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6521 or e-mail her at lwilber@vicad.com