Cook Co. Sheriff introduces digital tattoos etched on catalytic converters
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County has a new weapon in the fight against catalytic converter thefts.
It's digital etching technology that will make it harder for thieves to sell the stolen goods undetected.
CBS 2's Andrew Ramos has all the details from Maywood.
It's almost like getting a tattoo for your catalytic converter.
This one isn't just permanent but Cook County's latest tool to deter thieves from swiping the highly coveted, and very expensive car part
"This is truly a national epidemic. It's going on around the country. They've never seen anything like it."
Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart unveiled the new digital etching technology which he said will move the needle in addressing the ongoing problem that has surged in the past three years across the county.
"We will etch onto their catalytic converter their VIN number. And the VIN number is a number that is unique to every vehicle," Dart said.
It'll serve as a direct link to the stolen part and the vehicle it was swiped from, making it harder for thieves to sell them undetected.
The whole process takes a couple of minutes and a technician scans the VIN number from the driver's side door. It's then transferred to the etching device where it's then inscribed onto the catalytic converter.
And finished up with the Cook County logo.
Over the years, CBS 2 has reported on the trend of catalytic converter thefts which appears to have ignited at the height of the pandemic.
What hasn't progressed: The number of arrests made of those responsible.
According to a CBS 2 analysis, over the summer, roughly 2,000 catalytic converter thefts CBS 2 reported in Chicago but just 10 arrests were made.
"Just across the board, it's really been a crapshoot so this is going to be very different," Dart said.
The etching technology will be available for free to the public at upcoming community events throughout Cook County.
The first happening this Thursday, October 5th, in the 11th ward.
