Nothing surprises people these days. It seems like thieves will go and target anything of worth. Our trucks are one such target as well as the parts on them. You might be surprised to know that truck tailgate theft is on the rise.
To battle this trend, you can learn what to do if your tailgate is stolen and how to prevent it from being stolen in the first place. In the following article, we will explore the ins and outs of tailgate theft. My hope is to bring this increasing phenomenon to your attention and how to be better prepared for it.
Tips on Tailgate Theft Prevention
There are certain things, obvious and not so obvious, that you can do to prevent the theft of your tailgate. Implementing just one of these tips can decrease the chances of theft significantly.
| Tailgate Theft Prevention Strategy | Effectiveness | Ease of Installation (★=easy, ★★★=hard) | Cost |
| Lock Your Tailgate | ★★★ | ★ | ★ |
| Tailgate Lock | ★★★ | ★ | ★ |
| Hose Clamp Hack | ★★ | ★★ | ★ |
| Truck Rear Against Wall, Post, or Pillar | ★★★ | N/A | ★ |
| Rear Dash Cam with Light | ★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Park Near High Foot Traffic | ★★ | N/A | ★ |
| Lockable Hard Tonneau Cover | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Tailgate Alarm | ★★ | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Engraved VIN | ★ | ★ | ★ |
Lock Your Tailgate!
This tip is by far the easiest to implement. Thieves cannot steal your tailgate when it is locked. “But if it’s so straightforward, why doesn’t everyone do it?” you may be asking.
Simple.
Truck owners are either unaware of thieves targeting their tailgates or have just become too relaxed over time about locking them. By simply locking your tailgates, you can save yourself from potential stress and worry.
Install a Tailgate Lock
Not every tailgate has a lock that was built-in by the manufacturer. If this is your case, I recommend getting a tailgate lock from a retailer. You can find the Master Lock and McGard Tailgate Lock on my page for recommended exterior accessories.
As I will explain later, a tailgate is stolen by disengaging it from the bed hinge. The tailgate lock is secured around that hinge and prevents the thief from pulling the tailgate from the truck. These locks are very inexpensive too.
Radiator/Hose Clamp Hack
This hack functions similarly to the tailgate lock in that you’re putting an appliance around the tailgate hinge to prevent it from being disengaged. The appliance in this case is a radiator or hose clamp that you can find at your local hardware store. You would need a size 1 to 1.75 inch clamp.
The downside to this hack is that it will take some effort to remove this clamp should the need arise. The way it’s positioned makes it difficult to cut off.
Park The Rear Against A Post, Wall, or Pillar
You can always be more cognizant of where you park. Park your truck with the rear as close as possible against a post, pillar or wall. This will prevent a thief from opening your tailgate fully should they find it unlocked.
If a thief cannot open the tailgate fully, they will find that they are unable to perform the rest of the steps to steal the tailgate.
Rear Dash Cam With Blinking Light
Although a bit pricey, you can get a rear dash cam with a blinking light. This will show people that you are serious about protecting your property. This won’t exactly prevent tailgate theft but it will make a thief think over their decision to do so.
Thieves do not want to be recorded while tampering with your vehicle. Once they see a camera lens with a bright, blinking light, they will likely just move on.
You can always submit your rear dash cam into evidence if a tailgate theft does occur. It will increase the chances that the perpetrator will be caught.
Park Near High Foot Traffic
Nothing wards thieves off more than a bunch of witnesses. Park your truck near a vicinity with normally high foot traffic. Here, you will find that thieves will not be so brazen.
When there are a lot of people walking around, thieves will find it difficult in stealing such a large and bulky item off a truck. They will usually move on to more isolated targets.
Lockable Hard Tonneau Cover
You can also get a lockable hard tonneau cover that overlaps the tailgate. This is a way of locking in your tailgate especially if your tailgate doesn’t have a built-in lock.
Of course, a tonneau cover also protects the cargo in your truck bed in addition to your tailgate. Without a tonneau cover and a lockable tailgate, thieves are susceptible to stealing both your tailgate and the goodies within your truck bed.
Tailgate Alarm
Certain companies sell and install alarm systems that are meant to protect your tailgate from being stolen. They are installed in such a way that if a thief even unlatches your tailgate, a highly audible alarm will go off.
Thieves don’t like loud noises.
Engrave Your VIN Into The Tailgate
This will not exactly prevent your tailgate from being stolen, but it will sure help when trying to get your tailgate back. As you will read, tailgates are stolen due to their high resale value.
If you happen to find your stolen tailgate at a parts shop, you can prove that it’s yours by pointing out the engraved VIN on it.
Why Are Tailgates Being Stolen?
This seems to be the million-dollar question. The reason is actually quite simple. Tailgates themselves are worth a couple hundred dollars if purchased from the original equipment manager (OEM). I’m talking anywhere from $400-$600 and greater if there are more electronics or special parts involved.
The fact that they are valuable and easy to steal, even in broad daylight, makes them so enticing for thieves. Since auto parts shops will pay good money for tailgates, thieves know it’s an effortless way to make a quick buck.
Are Thieves More Likely to Steal a Certain Tailgate?
You might wonder if there is something about certain tailgates that makes them more appealing. For example, is it their style, brand, or special features?
In America, Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge make the top three selling trucks on the market. Ironically, their tailgate removal process is exactly the same and easy to do. It isn’t a wonder that thieves will target these brands of truck more often.
According to a study done by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the two worst states for tailgate theft are Texas and California. Of course, these are among two of the biggest states in the United States but the threat is still real. Don’t become part of the statistic.
How Do Thieves Steal a Tailgate?
A thief will target any tailgate that is not locked. Many trucks come with their own built-in locks but owners are sometimes too lazy to lock them or simply let down their guard.
The process of removing (or stealing) most tailgates is fast and simple:
- Unlatch the tailgate from the truck bed.
- Unhook both tailgate cables from their posts.
- Detach (or cut if you’re the thief) the electrical harness from the center of the tailgate.
- Open the tailgate at a 45 degree angle.
- Disengage the right side of the tailgate from its hinge.
- Pull the tailgate towards the right to slide it off the left hinge.
It’s really that easy! If you can believe it, it can take an experienced thief less than 20 seconds to remove a tailgate. They can do this without garnering much attention and without setting off your alarm.
If you’re a potential tailgate thief reading this article, you better start stealing tailgates now. I’m going to make sure more people are aware of your kind with this article! As soon as that happens, tailgates will become harder to steal.
What Do I Do if My Tailgate is Stolen?
If I’m being honest with you, once your tailgate is stolen, there is a very low chance of you getting it back. It is not impossible, however. Here are the things you should do if it happens to you:
Call The Police
Inform the authorities if your truck tailgate has been stolen. They may not waste their time dealing with petty theft but at least you will make them aware.
When they write police reports, it enters a database where they are able to keep track of the statistics of certain crimes. Once they see tailgate thefts increase in a certain area, they may become more vigilant about it.
Who knows? If you report your theft to the cops, they may actually have a strategy or vital information to getting your tailgate back.
Check Nearby Security Cameras
You should also check any nearby security cameras to find the culprit. You may not have a clear shot, but police may still post this footage on their social media accounts.
What might seem like an unidentifiable picture to you, might be clear to someone else. People who know others that have stolen items might be willing to report them anonymously.
Check For Witnesses
You yourself can do a bit of detective work. As soon as you’ve discovered your tailgate has gone missing, you can ask any nearby witness if they saw the deed being done.
Sometimes there may be a shop or office near your truck with large windows. People inside may have noticed the theft occurring but never thought twice about it initially.
File An Insurance Claim
You should also contact your auto insurance to file a claim. If you have waited and there is just no answer from the police, you should probably just chock it up to theft that will likely go unsolved.
In this instance, you may have to pay a deductible. It might be unfair that you have to pay out any money when you were the victim. It’s not ideal, but you do want to get your truck back into working order.
We all go through hard experiences in life, and being a victim of theft is just one of them, unfortunately. The only thing to do is be better prepared for it next time.
Replace Your Tailgate
If you don’t have an insurance policy in case of theft, then you will have to replace the tailgate yourself. Depending on your insurance, buying a new tailgate yourself may be cheaper than your deductible. It may be better to go that route.
You can buy a used or new tailgate. A used one might be cheaper, but make sure you purchase it from a reputable shop. You don’t want to be perpetuating a cycle of crime by purchasing it from the very likes of people that stole it in the first place.
Conclusion
All of these tips will really help when it comes to protecting your tailgate. You can certainly learn from what is going on in the news and not become a statistic.
While you may not have known about tailgate theft, the more you know now, the better off you will be. All of these tips should help you prevent yours from being targeted.
It’s worth taking the time when it comes to your vehicle because your truck is an investment. Your insurance company and the police will also be grateful for your cooperation in helping them stave off crime.
If you’re thinking of different ways to accessorize your truck or make it more functional, consider checking out my recommended accessories page. I spent a good amount of time picking out mods that can be useful for most pickup trucks.