Brown County Joins Program To Deter Catalytic Converter Thefts

BROWN COUNTY, Minn. (WCCO) - A community in southern Minnesota has a new system in place to help deter catalytic converter thefts.

The Brown County Sheriff's Office is partnering with the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau to provide car owners with unique labels that can be applied to the catalytic converter. The free labels will help officers identify the car owner if a catalytic converter is found during a traffic stop or other encounter with law enforcement.

CATGUARD kit (Credit: Brown County Sheriff's Office)

Brown County residents can stop by a local law enforcement office and pick up their CATGUARD label. They'll need to know the car's license plate number and VIN.

The kit comes with instructions on how to apply the label to the catalytic converter. However, if motorists need help, a mechanic can also attach the label.

The CATGUARD program also launched in Brooklyn Park last week.