I am pleased to announce a new consumer and police oriented initiative designed to reduce automobile theft. The program, funded fully by a $70,000 grant from The New York State Motor Vehicle Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Board, can also save qualifying consumers between two and five percent on their automobile insurance. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Etching Program will be free of cost and will be available to all Nassau County residents.

Our county-wide police initiative is part of a national Watch Your Car auto theft prevention program. We are proud to partner with The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and the National Insurance Crime Bureau to provide this service to our residents. This program offers peace of mind to our residents and cuts auto insurance rates for those who qualify.

County residents can contact their local Nassau County Police Precinct for an application to have their vehicle's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched into the glass windows.

The etching program serves as a strong deterrent to car thieves. To make it as convenient as possible for residents to participate in the free program, the CAPS office, located on Brush Hollow Road in Westbury, will conduct VIN Etching services on Saturdays and Sundays.

Car owners will receive a sticker warning potential thieves that the auto has been etched. In addition, residents will be able to take advantage of the Watch Your Car Night Decal and International Decal programs. The Night Decal alerts law enforcement officers that a particular vehicle does not traditionally operate between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. and authorizes police to stop the auto and conduct an investigation. The International Decal alerts law enforcement personnel that this particular auto does not normally cross at international borders. Police would be empowered to stop the vehicle and conduct an investigation.

We must stop auto theft that results in annual losses to consumers of 1.3 million automobiles nationally. Car owners should contact their insurance company to determine if they would be eligible for an insurance discount through this program.

For additional information, please contact the Nassau County police Department Crimes Against Property Squad (CAPS) at 516-573-5275. For your convenience, a list of Nassau County Precincts has been provided below.

1st Precinct, 900 Merrick Rd., Baldwin 573-6100

2nd Precinct, 7770 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury 573-6200

3rd Precinct, 214 Hillside Ave., Williston Park 573-6300

4th Precinct, Broadway and Sheridan Ave., Hewlett 573-6400

5th Precinct, 1655 Dutch Broadway, Elmont 573-6500

6th Precinct, 100 Community Drive, Manhasset 573-6600

7th Precinct, 3636 Merrick Rd., Seaford 573-6700

8th Precinct, 286 Wantagh Ave., Levittown 573-6800