El Paso experiencing increase in car thefts and burglaries

Six months into 2016 and El Paso Police has reported more auto thefts and burglaries than all of 2015.

In all of 2015, police reported 294 auto thefts and 590 auto burglaries.

As of June 2016, there have been 337 auto thefts and 811 auto burglaries, according to El Paso Police.

Saturday June 18, the police department’s Auto Theft Task Force will organize a vehicle theft prevention event at the Sam’s Club near Pelicano and Lee Trevino.

Event organizers will offer free VIN (vehicle identification number) etchings to those who wish to participate.

Etching is a process in which a VIN is permanently marked into all of the vehicle’s windows. Police said VIN etching makes it more difficult for auto thieves to sell the car at “chop shops.”

For more information, contact the Auto Theft Task Force at 915-298-9600.