How easy is it for the tailgate to be stolen?

I live in Texas and know multiple people who have had tailgates stolen. It probably depends largely on where you live. I live in a large urban area and regularly (2x per year at least) see people on my security cameras going through my truck. Better to let them look around and find nothing than have them bust my womdow...again.

 

How often have you left the tailgate down with something like wood or other long items in back, especially for those of us with shortbeds? Ive done it a lot, I’m not so worried about when it’s closed, but even then it’s vulnerable.

 

X 2 Brother Tacos. I was able to take off the epoxied hose clamp in about 3 minutes using a Dremel and screwdriver. With battery powered Dremels, I eventually changed my mind. Well worth the investment.

 

Which was, um, kinda my point.

 

To follow up on another post, San Diego County had 6 Taco tailgates of varying years listed for sale. Los Angeles though, I stopped counting when I hit 25 on the first page alone. All were listed at $450+ ( about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of a new one ), so there's a serious motivation there. I'd bet most of the thieves would have 4+ tailgates sitting at their house which is roughly 2k for them and maybe 5 minutes of their time to swipe all of them.

With Texas, you have a few things working in your favor, which include:

1) Thieves don't know who's carrying a concealed weapon, so their less willing to gamble their life that you don't.

2) Texans are generally more respectful of each other.

 

Yeah, I just meant that for those who say the OEM lock is good enough, even when locked down it can be taken...

 

I've got news for you - you never know who's carrying a concealed weapon in L.A. either.

 

Sorry Tex, last year, they led the nation for the state and the cities with the most stolen tailgates. Maybe they have the most pickups, too?

https://www.nicb.org/media/411/download

 

Well, I was focusing mostly on legally concealed, but yeah, you win.

I didn't even think to search Texas on CL, but with a larger pool to both steal from and sell to, its plausible.

 

I've never worried about my tailgate being stolen, but someone tried to steal my dad's F250 tailgate (he lives in Texas), and was thwarted by the old hose clamp trick.

 

CA CCW is legal throughout the entire state.

 

True, but it's hard as hell to get one if you don't already have your POST cert ( i.e. you're in law enforcement ), a PI, or are a business owner that has had multiple robberies of your store. CA does not recognize any other state's CCW permit the last time I checked even though other states offer classes for CCW for their states in CA, i.e. AZ.

 

It's only hard in a handful of the 58 counties.

 

Well, maybe I was just dealing with an asshat. I may as well has give it another whirl then.

 

Wonder how many tailgates have been stolen since this thread was started?

 

I tried to figure out the "washer" over the cable end mod and can't figure it out. I got the washer on but it made it too tight for the cable to collapse when I put the tailgate back up. Can someone please help me source the proper washer and manner in which to install it? Thanks!

 

There seems to be a factory option for tailgate lock

https://www.toyota.com/configurator...color/FD15/packages/option38/accessories/G_TL

 

Rotweiller

 

Meh, if someone steals my tailgate I’ll just steal someone else’s. Hakuna Matata and all that shit.

 

Truck manufacturers should really think about etching the VIN in a couple places on that tailgate and if it’s forbsale online and scratched off, then every one of those asshole sellers, I mean thieves should be caught and arrested for selling stolen property. They could even make a show out of it, “To catch a tailgate predator” luckily for me cement wouldn’t be too hard to find if someone even tried to sell it, guaranteed stolen as there is only a handful of them locally. I’d pick a seller then go beat his ass and just take it back...mine or not it was stolen for sure lol...