Prevent theft - keep the truck tailgate locked

[dpam]

I was at a truck accessories dealer yesterday in Calgary and the owner told me 2800 truck tailgates were stolen in Alberta in 2010. He suggested keeping the tailgate locked at all times. Apparently thieves find it easy to steal the tailgates and sell them to body repair shops, and other places. I guess the thieves really like the tailgates with cameras.

After doing a search on the internet I found that there are a lot of tailgate thefts in a lot of states in the USA as well.

Keep your tailgate locked, and prevent a theft.

[08UltraRider]

I agree and I do...

Along with tailgates is airbag theft... Both easy to sell to unscrupulous shops for a couple of hundred bucks and then back to the unaware customer for several thousand.

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by 08UltraRider

I agree and I do...

Along with tailgates is airbag theft... Both easy to sell to unscrupulous shops for a couple of hundred bucks and then back to the unaware customer for several thousand.

You can add catalytic converters to your list too. Battery operated saws make them easy to remove and they bring big bucks at auto repair places.

[Art-n-Marge]

I guess I'll take a sledge hammer to my tailgate, poke holes, then patch a catalytic converter and enclose metal plates around my air bags to make them hard to remove or vandalize. If I make my truck ugly enough, no one would want it or any of its parts, including me. Bah!

I just saw a story, where they caught some thieves that had stolen 9 manhole covers, cut them up into quarters, shuffled then around, then tried to sell them at a scrap yard. Some workers were able to jigsaw them back together to find who they belonged to. NOTHING is safe these days. Then these jokers aren't doing time because they are being released early because of overcrowding.

BTW - Tom S., those lamps in the front of the truck and that front winch are looking attractive. But I'm only admiring them, not coveting them.

[richfaa]

My OEM tailgate is out in the storage shed.We have a V tailgate and this is the 2nd Ford it has been on.Please someone steal it as it looks bad.

[BB_TX]

I keep mine locked. Didn't realize how easy it is to get it off until I tried it. Just a few seconds and it is off.

[Waynem]

quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

I guess I'll take a sledge hammer to my tailgate, poke holes,......

Careful art, you don't want to start a discussion on Louvered Tailgates, do you. Carol will ..... well, let's just say, please don't.

Every truck I ever had that was capable of being locked, it was locked. The only one I remember that would not lock for me was my 1988 chev 1500. Back in those days, who wanted a tail gate anyhow.

[bigmurf]

Guess everyone will want this now.

http://www.jimmijammer.com/Product,%20GK.htm

[alandaudrey]

No one even mentioned copper theft.

A quick and easy deterrent to tailgate theft is a simple hose clamp. Buy one large enough to install around the slotted portion of the hinge. You can move the hex head of the clamp around so it is a little more difficult to get a spintite or a socket over it. Just leave enough room to get it tight. A thief wants to be able to quickly remove the tailgate and be on his way. He usually won't take the time to remove the clamp. However when you need to remove the tailgate it will only take a few minutes.

Of course a locking tailgate is the best cure.

In the Houston area Silverado stock wheels are a big theft item also.

[kab449]

We get persons of Chinese descent every week at our used car dealership paying $75 to $150 for the catalytic convertors from the trades that are to be junked. They tell us they are shipped to China for recovery of the precious metals (palladium) inside.

[boylanag]

Had my tailgate stolen from the truck that was in the parking area of our condo a couple of years ago. Like so many other learning experiences, I have locked it ever since. "Too soon old, too late smart," I guess.

[DQDick]

I stole my own tailgate when I put the new V composite one on. Sold it back to the dealer for oil changes.

[Recumbent]

Thanks, I will lock it up.

[Farmhawk]

Had mine stolen a couple of years ago. It cost $400 for one from a salvage yard, $350 for the supplies to repaint, I did the work myself, plus another $25 to rebadge the gate. I keep mine locked, I wish the power door locks would also lock the tailgate.

[CamillaMichael]

quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

I guess I'll take a sledge hammer to my tailgate, poke holes, then patch a catalytic converter and enclose metal plates around my air bags to make them hard to remove or vandalize. If I make my truck ugly enough, no one would want it or any of its parts, including me. Bah!

I just saw a story, where they caught some thieves that had stolen 9 manhole covers, cut them up into quarters, shuffled then around, then tried to sell them at a scrap yard. Some workers were able to jigsaw them back together to find who they belonged to. NOTHING is safe these days. Then these jokers aren't doing time because they are being released early because of overcrowding.

BTW - Tom S., those lamps in the front of the truck and that front winch are looking attractive. But I'm only admiring them, not coveting them.

Art, you sound like you might be a little grumpy this morning? :-)

[richfaa]

I did not realize this was a big problem .Guess no one wants a V tailgate.

[08UltraRider]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

I did not realize this was a big problem .Guess no one wants a V tailgate.

It's not that its not wanted....... It's the bird guarding it that keeps them away!

[Art-n-Marge]

Farmhawk, I was able to find a power lock option for my Ford. It works independently of the existing tailgate's key lock. It consists of a solenoid and a thick pin that gets thrown and blocks the handle from being opened. I have it connected to the wire that unlocks/locks ALL the doors when pressing the key fob the second time (the first time unlocks only the driver's door). It also works with the door's keyless entry panel on the door when the first code unlocks the driver's door and a second button then unlocks all the doors (and the tail gate). I'm guessing this type of electronic lock would work with ANY tailgate whether it has a key lock or not, since it uses an independent method.

I wasn't trying to be grumpy. I was just trying to point out that for many conveniences or items we have or love, we must then invest in some way to keep what we've earned. While it's tragic that so many invest time and effort to covet someone else's property instead of investing that time and effort in something more honest, that it's ironic that it's created so many jobs to pursue, catch and incarcerate these same idiots, but still so many are free to keep doing this crap. I thought surrounding the air bags with metal which would render the air bags useless would imply my satire.

Those products in bigmurfs link are impressive, but it's a lot of expense and I think might increase the amount of vandalism by a frustrated potential thief, so expect the damage to be more extensive. We just can't win, eh?

Wait a minute, it's morning. Time to be grumpy.

[08UltraRider]

Ahhhh.... I fondly remember those days when all they were after was the stereo!

I still think the DW was responsible in the disappearance of my Iron Butterfly Inagaddadavida 8 track tape!

[jwedell]

I placed a ring clamp around the side that slips out and positioned the screw part so it was difficult to loosen up. Just an extra measure.