Stolen Pickup Tailgates?

Deere Scotty · Feb 27, 2013

Anybody had a tailgate stolen? Just read a report on MSN that they are a hot item; especially in Illinois. Mine is bolted on. Means hardware to remove in order to get it off.

Sean Feeney · Feb 27, 2013

$20 piece of mind
insurance

glennster · Feb 27, 2013

we have replaced a few here at the shop on customer trucks that were stolen. not sure why, maybe the scrap guys are taking them, but not a lot of weight to em. pretty spendy to replace too. spare tires are another item that gets stolen too.

Jerry/MT · Feb 27, 2013

My 1999 F350 has a locking tailgate just to make it harder to steal.

Steve A W · Feb 27, 2013

Cops busted a 19yr old kid around here that was stealing them then trying to sell them on craigs list!
When They busted him ,They found 9 or 10 tailgates in the barn.

Steve A W

Huskers86 · Feb 27, 2013

(quoted from post at 13:25:29 02/27/13) Anybody had a tailgate stolen? Just read a report on MSN that they are a hot item; especially in Illinois. Mine is bolted on. Means hardware to remove in order to get it off.

A few years ago here there was a theft ring going around to dealers lots and stealing them right off the pickups on the lot. They would then sell them to people through craigs list for about 1/2 of what the dealer wanted for a replacement. I'm thinking they go for around $800 to $1200 especialy if they have the built in step. Selling them on craigs list got them caught. Not a bright move. I think they recoverd over 200 of them.

Mike Henry · Feb 27, 2013

todays local paper reported that the local gm dealer and a couple more locally had many tire and rims stolen from new car,truck stock on hand. Graff dealership keep majority of their stock behind fence. Theives cut through did the deed and then put back fence. They didnt notice anything till later monday morning. Report says it is happening state wide.It is being said that they seem to be stealing to fill orders. If that is the case I could use a new set of tires for my Farmall h that I just bought. Just saying if you know anyone.

el6147 · Feb 27, 2013

what will they think of next to steal !

Bob M · Feb 27, 2013

what will they think of next to steal !

Catalytic converters. Our local U-Haul lot had the converters disappear off half dozen rental vans a few nights ago.

da.bees · Feb 27, 2013

(quoted from post at 16:46:34 02/27/13) we have replaced a few here at the shop on customer trucks that were stolen. not sure why, maybe the scrap guys are taking them, but not a lot of weight to em. pretty spendy to replace too. spare tires are another item that gets stolen too.

Spare tires havn't been as bad around here since they started useing so many different sizes it is difficult to find the right size at tire stores much less secound hand.
Years ago when the spare was"never" put back underneath truck once it was removed,coupled with 90% of 1/2 tons useing same size,spares evaporated as fast as it was replaced. Old boy working at the dock loading trucks at night set a wolf trap below the center hole of new wheel and tire then secured the chain to the bed. As he expected,a driver told him "there is a ,,,,,, well,in the interest of new terms in speaking,there is a gentelman trying to turn your pickup over. Ray grabbed a tire billy and ran to his pickup with us dragging up the rear. He beat that dudes ribs and belly unmercyfully til he passed out. Removed the trap and took it and bat to the office and called the police. Cop asked"what happened here"? Ray told the cop the fool refused to put the tire down and kept trying to hit me with it so I had to whupp him. :twisted: Thief told the cop that he cudsin puts it down cause his fingas be stuck toda tie. :shock: Have to admit,I felt a tinge of pitty seeing him hauled away in cuffs to be charged with assult after what he had already been thruogh that night. Often wondered if he ever stole anything after that.

MN Scott · Feb 27, 2013

A lot of the tailgates end up in Mexico. Seems most trucks are ordered without them to save money.

Sean Feeney · Feb 27, 2013

We have used just a hose clamp before slows them down and most likely don't have a screwdriver on them

smallercrawler · Feb 27, 2013

Not to excuse/justify theft, but if like around here, there must be a great demand as about every third $40K+"show" truck has damaged gates due to being dropped on a tag trailer jack, top damage due to backing into something with the gate down, or backing into the coupler on a gooseneck/travel trailer with the gate up.

FBH44 · Feb 27, 2013

Got a "10 Silverado, and the cheap way is simply a good big ol" hose clamp tightened up around the right-side cicrcular thing where it slips in and out. It won"t hold long, if somebody has a screwdriver, but they have to figure it out first, and they might just go on to the next truck.
Real answer is a locking tailgate lock, I got mine online someplace, a real GMC one.

notjustair · Feb 27, 2013

I ordered a brand new Tundra when the new style came out in 2007. I picked it up 6 months later and went to the gas station. A man walked up to me and introduced himself. He was a new car salesman. He pointed to the pickup and said "always keep that tailgate locked - stealing them is the new thing". The tailgate on the Tundra comes off in about 25 seconds with no tools. I have had it off many times to clean out the bed.

I haven't taken to locking the gate but always think about that. I probably put 5000 miles a year on that pickup so it isn't out much to steal. Heaven knows most country folks don't know what a Toyota pickup is, either.

My insurance agent told me that folks steal the converters off them for the platinum (it has 5!). That was when I called him to get insurance. Thank heavens I like the pickup cause I was wondering what I had gotten myself into.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 27, 2013

I use the hose clamp trick too. I just position it where you use a 5/16 open end to tighten it instead of a screwdriver.

MI AC Parsons · Feb 27, 2013

Can't believe this happens to others. Someone took the tailgate off our Co's S-10 p/u. Rediculous! I keep a lookout for a new red S-10 tailgate, but seeing this forum, probably long gone. Took an EDM to Detroit. Guy said you can leave your double axle trailer in our locked back lot. He called when machine done to say that I needed another trailer, Mine was stolen and lock broken. REALLY?

JLG · Feb 27, 2013

Someone stole one off my Ford when it was new. It's an '08, and they added a stamping to the bottom that says "SuperDuty" that year. I guess he wanted to dress up his older truck. Got a quote from Ford for a new one, for the insurance company.....$2500! They have to order all the parts in seperate, paint, and put it all together. Ended up getting it back, thank goodness. It's always locked now, which is a real pain. I remember going with Dad to look at new trucks in '97, and noticing tailgate locks for the first time. The salesman said they had a few get stolen off the lot, so they lock them all now.

dcarp · Feb 27, 2013

Another vote for the hose clamp. Been doing that ever since pickups started to come with easy removable tailgates.
Haven't lost one YET.

bjb in TX from Ne · Feb 27, 2013

My brother's car was stolen in Omaha so they could cut the catalytic converter out of it. They jimmied the door lock, broke the ignition, cut the converter and dumped the car. All his other stuff was still in the car and the trunk. Funny thing he was playing grand theft auto when it happened.

fixerupper · Feb 27, 2013

On two of my three pickups they'll only get an old worm eaten board. The tailgate on the Colorado is so thin it'll dent if you stare at it too long so if someone steals it there's a good chance they'll dent it while trying to get it off. Jim

Anonymous-0 · Feb 27, 2013

The only time I have my tailgate on my truck is when the topper is on it, that's about once a year. Thing is in the way to hitch to a wagon or trailer.

ss55 · Feb 27, 2013

Times change. In the 1960's most livestock farmers in our area had Heider livestock racks on their pickups that couldn't use the tailgate. Ten year old beatup, rusty, sun faded pickups would get traded in with still shiney new tailgates.

joepermuko · Feb 27, 2013

i bought my 00' dodge used in o4' and putting a hose clamp on the tailgate was one of the first things i did, back then they were stealing them around here, now its rims and tires and cats like everyone else.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 28, 2013

(quoted from post at 18:51:22 02/27/13) We have used just a hose clamp before slows them down and most likely don't have a screwdriver on them

Yep, that works, also turn the clamp so that it can only be tightened or loosened with a 5/16 wrench.

Edit: Whoops, several others beat me to it.

jose bagge · Feb 28, 2013

tailgates is a new one on me...but they"ll steal anything anymore. I was out in OKC several years ago for a big horse show when they made the rounds stealing spares off trailers- flat cleaned that lot out. They"re hitting car lots out here now apparently with battery powered sawzalls and stealing catalytic convertors- 6 or 7 in a swoop. if these guys would use their imagination for legitimate purposes there"s no tellin"!

Stolen Pickup Tailgates?

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