Theft-proofing the Bed Idea

So I am in the market for a softopper and one thing that concerns me is the lack of security. I have just been thinking of this idea and was wondering if someone has used it in practice and found it handy or useless.

The Tacoma bed has two notches on both sides of the bed to place two 1x6 planks from one side of the bed to the other and then using those as cross-supports, you can place a sheet of plywood on top to create a sort of platform. My idea is that if you place a sheet of plywood that is cut to fit closely with the shape of the bed and then close/lock the tailgate, no one would be able to lift the plywood off, providing you with some more secure storage underneath the plywood sheet. The closer you cut to the shape of the bed, the less anyone has of being able to get fingers underneath the plywood to lift it up and see what is beneath. Thoughts? Any ways around this that you can think of?

 

Give me two minutes and a sawzall and your shit is mine.

 

NO. It would work for honest people. Dishonest people are going to want to know what is under that plywood.

Maybe if it was 1/4" plate steel.

 

Locks and shit only keep honest people honest. I don’t even lock my doors anymore cause I’d rather not have a smashed window

 

The best thing for theft proofing

 

Good luck with that. if someone wants to be an ass and take a piss in your open car slash the seats then you are allowing that. majority of theives arnt going to smash a window most are checking for a quick and easy opened vehicle. grab and go

 

Insurance is paid every month for a reason

 

and deductibles come directly out of your pocket.

 

250 bucks isn’t going to kill me. I don’t leave anything in the truck worth stealing. Unless you want my loose change, iPhone headphones wired, and mouth wash. I have had my passenger side window broken into more then once and knock on wood since I have been leaving my doors unlocked nothing has been done to my vehicles in 5 years

 

Good point, that is probably the limit of the security that this idea provides. I'm no thief, but I feel like I would not put in all that work especially with a noisy saw just for the possibility of finding something.

 

Living in Atlanta i can tell you from experience: keeping things out of sight helps alot. I dont keep laptop bags in my truck. They only thing they might steal is my gym bag with dirty clothes. "And whadda they got? My dirty undies... my f***ing whites"

 

The plywood cover isn’t a bad idea. People are a lot less prone to steal what they can’t see. My work truck was broken into once and it was because I was dumb and left my iPod and iPad where they could be seen. Middle of the day with people around. They left a bag that was between the seats. Black bag laying on a black vinyl floor.

 

Hell, after the first time seeing it, if someone wants to get under that plywood (and stay silent) a single eye hook can be screwed into plywood with no tools and easily lift up the wood enough to get a hand under it. Not trying to shit on your idea, just food for thought, for security you would need something tougher than plywood.

 

sounds like the voice of experience , no

 

I've done my fair sharing of installing eye hooks by hand for hanging shop lights, they go in all too easy in so many materials. Just giving my $0.02 on the subject, just hoping it saves someone some headache later.

 

Good point, didn't think of that! By all means, shit on the idea. That's the point - to either improve the idea or ultimately scrap it. How about this then to prevent screwing in an eye hook - screw in your own eye hooks on the bottom side of the plywood and attach them to the tie down points in the bed. This would keep the plywood from being lifted out from the top.

 

If you have things worth securing, get a hard cover. Just my opinion

 

Not all of us are so fortunate to have a brick garage.

 

I suspect the thieving type are going to have access to a screwdriver which is also a handy pry tool.

 

You're gonna need a 5' wide sheet of plywood.

Softtoppers are great, I had one for 7 years on my 2nd gen. You have to manage your risk exposure. I wouldn't leave shotgun back there at Walmart. Nobody ever took anything out of my bed.

I have a Diamondback on this truck and it is pretty secure. I have actually left a shotgun back there at Walmart.