OMAHA, Neb. -- Last year, more than 3,400 vehicles were stolen in the Omaha area.

Destroying or changing the vehicle identification number is often how thieves sell the stolen vehicles.

But etching the VIN on every window may keep your car off thieves radar.

The typical cost for getting your VIN etched could be between $25 and $40.

But AAA Nebraska and the Cornhusker Motor Club will do it for free.

"After we've etched these windows, to steal that car they would have to break all the glass and replace all the glass so they could sell the vehicle as a whole," said AAA representative Mitch Beaumont.

The numbers are applied to the windows with a special ink and stencil. After 10 to 15 minutes of drying, the number is permanently etched to the glass.

Beaumont also recommends other deterrents, like GPS systems and car alarms.

AAA will etch vehicles during three dates.

• Aug. 19 at AAA office on East 23rd Street in Fremont
• Aug. 27-28 at AAA office on 132nd Street and W. Center Road
• Sept. 3 at AAA office on Twin Creek Drive in Bellevue

The service will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on those days.