GARDEN GROVE, Calif.—To help mitigate the risk of catalytic converter thefts, State Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) joined representatives from the Automobile Club of Southern California and the Garden Grove Police Department at Buddy’s Auto Tires And More to etch vehicles’ license numbers on converters for free.
The etchings are part of a community effort, occurring at 16 other Orange County and Los Angeles County Auto Club-approved vehicle repair shops.
Catalytic converter etching involves marking the vehicle’s license plate number onto the exposed converters located in the exhaust system under the vehicle. The process takes about 15 minutes per vehicle, according to the Auto Club, and involves raising the car on a lift for easier access for the etchers….