Houston Ranks #1 for Auto Theft in State: AAA Texas and Houston Police Department Partner to Help Prevent This Crime

HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - August 21, 2008) - With Houston having the highest number of auto thefts in Texas, and among the highest in the nation, Houston Police Department (HPD) and AAA Texas are joining together to fight this crime. For the next week -- Friday, August 22 through Saturday, August 30 -- AAA will offer free vehicle VIN (vehicle identification number) etchings at its Houston Galleria District office, 3307 Sage Road (intersection of Sage Road and Richmond Avenue). The free service is available 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday - Friday and 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday.

To kick off this event, members of the media are invited to come to the district office Friday morning, from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., when an HPD and a AAA Texas spokesperson will be available at Galleria office for interviews. Reporters will also have the opportunity to interview motorists and shoot B-roll of VIN etchings being done on those vehicles.

VIN -- vehicle identification number -- etching consists of stenciling that number onto all of the windows in a vehicle. The process, on the average, takes less than 10 minutes per vehicle to complete.

Sergeant T.J. Salazar of the HPD Auto Theft Division confirms Houston's high auto theft numbers. "Last year, there were more than 31,000 motor vehicles stolen in the Houston metropolitan area," says Salazar, "far more than any other metro area in the state. Thanks to grant funding obtained from the Texas Auto Theft Prevention Authorities, the free VIN etching that HPD and AAA Texas is offering provides a barrier that can prevent a vehicle from being stolen."

The top five most stolen vehicles in Texas are 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup, the 1994 Chevrolet Full size C/K 1500 Pickup , the Ford F150 Pickup, the Honda Accord and the Honda Civic -- in that order.

"VIN etching can make the vehicle far less desirable and much difficult to be disassembled at chop shops and the parts resold for more than the value of the car," said AAA Texas Corporate Communications Manager Dan Ronan. "AAA Texas is very pleased to work with our friends at the Houston Police Department to do what we can to prevent auto thefts. AAA Texas and HPD are offering this service at no cost, while at least one car dealership in the Houston area is charging its customers $200.00 to have it done."

In addition to this free service, Houston Police and AAA Texas will provide drivers with information about "The 5 Top Ways to Prevent Your Car from Being Stolen."

Contact Information: AAA Texas Contacts: Dan Ronan Ronan.dan@aaa-texas.com danronan@sprint.blackberry.net 469 221 8217 office 469 583 7070 cell Anne O'Ryan O'ryan.anne@aaa-texas.com 512 899 8843 office 512 925-3710 cell