BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Police are providing drivers with a new weapon in the crackdown on catalytic converter theft, and it’s free. An anti-theft kit giveaway will be held Thursday, Aug. 25 at the Fiske Planetarium on the University Of Colorado campus in Boulder from 2-4 p.m.

For more information visit the event page. Kits are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The anti-theft kit is a result of a partnership between the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority, the Boulder Police Department and University of Colorado Boulder Police.

Drivers receive etching decals that mark their catalytic converter with a unique fingerprint that can be tracked. Decals warn thieves that your car is protected.

“We’re providing a QR code so that people can identify where their catalytic converter is as well as how to apply the stickers, as well as how to register your car with a law enforcement agency,” CU Boulder Police spokesperson Christine Mahoney said.

Catalytic converter theft is prevalent across the nation and the state. Police report 417 catalytic converters were stolen in Boulder alone between January 2021 and June of 2022. Nineteen were stolen on the CU Boulder campus.

Police say it’s also important to park in well-lit areas, lock your car and remove all valuables.

Other giveaways will be held around the state. For more information visit the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority website.