SUFFOLK, Va. — SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk Police Department officers report that car theft crime rates are down in the city, and they're working to keep it that way through community partnerships.
Virginia State Police and the Suffolk Police Department teamed up Saturday to give residents a chance to add an extra layer of protection to their vehicles against auto theft through a free VIN etching event. A simple spray and some stickers can decrease the chances of your car getting stolen, according to law enforcement officials.
"My previous car was actually stolen before, and it was also broken into on a separate occasion," said Lottise Murray of Portsmouth.
Murray never wants to experience her car getting stolen again. That's why she and her husband Myron came out to the Suffolk Police Department's free VIN etching event on Saturday.
"We own a Hyundai. So we are very familiar with, you know, thefts of Hyundai vehicles, thefts of Kia vehicles, and we thought this might be a way for us to minimize the chances of us getting our vehicle stolen," said Myron Murray.
Virginia State Police joined the Suffolk Police Department to host the VIN etching event as part of their HEAT program, which stands for Help Eliminate Auto Theft.
"So what they do is they utilize a stencil, takes about 10 minutes, they put a chemical compound on your window, and it etches in your VIN number on your vehicle," said Detective Zach Hyman with the Suffolk Police Department.
Hyman said having the VIN number displayed on the outside of the car will likely deter criminals from stealing the vehicle.
"It is a crime here in the city. It is lowering though, I can tell you. Over the past three years, it has decreased, which is good to say," said Hyman.
While the city of Suffolk has reported 66 car theft crimes in 2025, here's a look at statistics in other cities across Hampton Roads so far this year:
- Chesapeake: 148 car thefts
- Hampton: 267 car thefts
- Newport News: 187 car thefts
- Norfolk: 276 car thefts
- Portsmouth: 179 car thefts
- Virginia Beach: 282 car thefts (highest in the region)
According to Virginia State Police, car thefts in a majority of these seven cities are down in comparison to crime stats from 2023 and 2024.
"This is a great opportunity. I mean, I did my research, and etching can be so expensive, and to come to an event where its free, and all I need to do is show up, can't beat that," said Lottise Murray.
The Suffolk Police Department staff said they look forward to hosting more of these free VIN etching events in the future.
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