Tailgate thefts on the rise

[jwstewar]

I put one of these on my '99 when it was new: Pace Edwards Power Tailgate Lock Thought it was a great combination to the roll-up semi-hard locking tonneau cover. 2 covers laters the tailgate lock is still working fine. Tonneau cover doesn't work right now and at the age of the truck, I'm not buying another one for it - but at least my tailgate is still locked :laughing:

 

[Mighty Dodge]

I took the cheap root, just a hose clamp. Won't stop them if they really want it but it may slow them down enough to think twice about it.

 

[Toyboy]

Looks good. If you reversed the hose clamp towards the box and used a small socket to tighten it, that would make it even more difficult to remove.

 

[SARG]

Forty years ago my brother used to tape razor blades on the hood latch and tailgate latches. He was living in a "rough" section of a local city.

He said it was sorta like running a trap line.

I vaguely recall visiting him on a January night that we found the snowbanks around the front of his vehicle covered in red.......... and his battery was still intact.

 

[beppington]

A tailgate is not just for keepin' your stuff in & aesthetics ... Recall that Myth Busters determined pickup trucks get better fuel economy with their tailgate up :thumbsup:

Can't very well have your tailgate up if ya got no tailgate

 

[Renze]

The theft phenomena occurs in Holland too: Just different.

The thieves know how to play the free market economy: offer and demand allways follow up.
They steal the seats of a Renault Espace or a Voyager (which can be easily taken once they've bashed the window) and put them for sale on the internet: Often people try to find new seats... Exactly, on the internet. One thieve could be busted because the buyer recognised the seats, which were stolen from his car a week earlier !!!

By stealing them, they create a demand for tailgates.

Just drive without a tailgate, do NOT feed the market demand, and the stealing will stop

 

[JDgreen227]

The name of the company is Pop and Lock. They make key locks and power locks for tailgates.


Site Title

Had one of the key type locks for my '90 F150 tailgate, it was well fitting but a determined crook could easily pry it off with a short wrecking bar. Still, it served the purpose for me well while I had it...which was mainly to secure hitch gear in my cargo box. Nothing will really stop a determined crook, but if you can slow them down a little they may move elsewhere.

 

[JDgreen227]

The theft phenomena occurs in Holland too: Just different.

The thieves know how to play the free market economy: offer and demand allways follow up.
They steal the seats of a Renault Espace or a Voyager (which can be easily taken once they've bashed the window) and put them for sale on the internet: Often people try to find new seats... Exactly, on the internet. One thieve could be busted because the buyer recognised the seats, which were stolen from his car a week earlier !!!

By stealing them, they create a demand for tailgates.

Just drive without a tailgate, do NOT feed the market demand, and the stealing will stop

Drive without a tailgate, and the crook will decide to burgle your garage or barn instead, that would be just my luck !!!!

 

[Big Bri]

local dealer here was hit and lost 14 tailgates. Said they retail for 4k each. They only took the ones with camera's.

 

[JDgreen227]

local dealer here was hit and lost 14 tailgates. Said they retail for 4k each. They only took the ones with camera's.

Let me get this straight...the trucks had a backup camera in each gate, and the cost for each one is 4k...?? How much would it have cost to back each pair of trucks up to each other to make it impossible to remove the gates.... or put them nose to tail? DUHH.

And no video camera keeping track of the lots where the trucks were? DOUBLE DUHH.