Colorado State Patrol troopers will be giving out free identification stickers Friday that help prevent catalytic converter thefts, and track them if they are stolen, according to a news release.

The event, hosted by CSP along with members of the Denver Police Department, Lincoln Tech and the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority, will take place at the Lincoln College of Technology, 11194 E. 45th Ave., Denver from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

“Catalytic converters contain precious metals, making them valuable on the black market,” according to a CSP news release. “The public can deter theft and aid law enforcement in tracking and prosecuting thieves when they acquire a permanent identifying sticker for a vehicle’s catalytic converter.”

These stickers will be distributed at Friday’s event.

Over the past several years, there has been a significant increase in catalytic converter theft, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). In 2019, there were 3,389 claims filed for catalytic converter theft. In 2020, that number increased to 14,433 — a 325% increase in a year.

A catalytic converter is a small muffler-looking device along a car’s exhaust system. It works to convert environmentally hazardous exhaust emitted by the engine into less harmful gas.

The metals used in a catalytic converter, platinum, palladium or rhodium, have skyrocketed in value in recent years, according to NICB. As these values increase, so do catalytic converter theft numbers.

For more event information and to register, visit https://lockdownyourcar.org/events/ or call CATPA at 303-239-4560  or Lincoln Tech at 303-722-5724 .