Allstate gave away a car theft deterrent on Wednesday they say is etched in stone, or rather, in glass.

The Laurinburg Allstate Insurance Agency hosted a vehicle identification number etching event in the agency parking lot where they provided free etchings to anyone who stopped by.

According to Art Grady, part of Allstate's Special Investigation's Unit, the etching preserves the VIN number.

"I know how important it is for these VIN numbers to be recovered."

Unfortunately, many car thieves remove the number and bar code from vehicles so officers are unable to identify them.

He said the etching provides a copy of the VIN number on the vehicle so law enforcement can locate the car's owner.

Etching the vehicle identification number on all a car’s windows makes the vehicle a less attractive option for thieves, whose goal is to sell the parts on the black market, says Mark Maynor, owner of the Laurinburg Allstate.

"Vehicle fraud and theft results in higher insurance premiums for everyone, even those who are not direct victims," Maynor said. "According to the Insurance Information Institute, roughly one-third of a typical comprehensive auto insurance premium goes to pay for auto theft claims. This amounts to $200-300 a year for every policy holder. Keeping money in our pockets starts by educating ourselves about what fraud and theft is and how we can protect ourselves from becoming victims."

"Many Americans believe the myth that 'no one would want to steal my car.' In fact, thieves are most interested in common vehicles that are at least a few years old because they can easily be dismantled for parts."

"Spare parts for older cars can be harder to find, so thieves can make a lot of money by stealing and selling them. Often a car is worth more in pieces than as a whole – a car with a value of $3,000 can bring $5,000 when sold as individual parts."

Maynor gave a demonstration of the etching process. He scanned the bar code of a vehicle into a handheld device, printed out an adhesive strip with the numbers on it, placed it on the window of the car and applied an acid. Within 5 minutes, the car was etched and ready to go.

People can buy kits to etch their VIN number into a window from the internet for between $30 and $35, Grady said.

Vehicle theft is the number one property crime in the country, costing Americans about $7.6 billion each year, according to the Insurance Information Institute. A car is stolen in America every 26 seconds, adding up to 1.2 million vehicles each year.