Rise in Truck Tailgate Theft: And What You Can Do About It
4 Apr 2019Believe it or not, truck tailgates have become a highly sought prize for thieves looking for an easy score that promises big money. Anyone who has ever had to replace a broken or stolen truck tailgate understands the pocketbook pain such replacements can bring. And the problem isn’t going away.
Why are Tailgates So Attractive?
In addition to commanding top dollar from consumers and a fairly large ready marketplace, truck tailgates are also surprisingly easy to steal. Many people have never even heard of this type of theft until it happens to them, yet it is very common with one Oklahoma auto dealer getting hit for three tailgates in a single night.
Part of the problem is that they have value. The other part of the equation is that they are easy targets. In fact, if you don’t take active steps to secure your truck tailgate, it is shockingly easy to take.
How Big is the Problem?
Between the dates of January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017, there were 3,655 claims reported involving truck tailgate thefts according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. However, since it is often the case that multiple tailgates are taking in the same loss, like the car dealership mentioned above, this could not be wholly representative of how widespread the problem has become.
It is obviously a bigger problem in areas where trucks are more predominant as modes of transportation and work vehicles with Texas bearing the lion’s share of the tailgate thefts nationwide (accounting for nearly 37 percent of all truck tailgate thefts reported during the period).
Texas cities hardest hit by truck tailgate theft include Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas according to OnlineAutoAinsurance.com. Other hard-hit states include California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, and South Carolina.
How Can You Prevent Tailgate Theft?
Prevention is the best cure when it comes to tailgate theft. Once it’s gone, it will be difficult to recover unless you’ve painted the tailgate in a custom color or have some other bold means of identification in place. Another thing you can do is install a “gate keeper” on your truck’s tailgate.
Finally, don’t become so obsessed with protecting your tailgate that you forget to protect your truck as well. Install GPS fleet tracking on your truck so that if it is stolen you can receive instant notification that it has been stolen and receive live tracking information about its current location, ensuring swift recovery of your truck.
Contact LiveViewGPS at 1-888-544-0494 to discuss GPS truck tracking or view our inventory of GPS tracking products here.
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