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ROCHESTER — The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office has received an additional 50 catalytic converter marking kits following requests from the public and additional thefts.

The Sheriff's Office partnered with the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau to participate in the Minnesota Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention Pilot Program, according to the sheriff's office.

The program, which was created in 2021 by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, adheres a special label to catalytic converters that transfers etchings of the label's unique number onto the metal once the vehicle is started. The etchings make it possible for law enforcement to trace a recovered converter back to a specific vehicle if it's stolen.

People can request a free kit by going to the Olmsted County Government Center at 101 Fourth St. SE in Rochester during business hours. Kits can be picked up at the second floor of the sheriff's office civil warrants window.

For registration, the vehicle's VIN number and Minnesota license plate number are required. The kit will then need to be registered online by visiting www.theisr.org and following the registration instructions included in the kit.

Catalytic converters can also be marked manually or by contacting a local dealer, mechanic or body shop.

The sheriff's office's main partners in the pilot program are Universal Marine and RV in Rochester. To have Universal Marine or RV install the kit, call them to make an appointment.

Additional participating service centers can be found by visiting the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page and the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office website .