well ladies and gentlemen

Would be funny for someone to GPS/Air tag an open tailgate and do a "baitcar" sting on these degenerates.

 

im pretty sure it was , the officer mentioned even if it was they can manage to break the lock , im not sure if that’s possible or how the locking mechanism works tho

 

What is the reception range of an airtag?

 

This article may be helpful. I don't own an iPhone device, so I didn't know what you people were talking about.
Looks like the air-tag is the way to go for your tracking of the tailgate.
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/airtag-vs-tile/

 

Hey hey hey... I'm not "you people". I have never and would never own Apple anything.
But I learned of the existence of airtags a couple of years ago... by reading posts on TW.

Edit: Skimming through the article you linked, it appears the airtag range is the same as regular Blutooth. So to me it seems the value is limited as far as for locating your stolen tailgate..

 

It works by pinging off of any iPhone that comes near it whether yours or not there’s videos of people tracking packages they ship across the world using an AirTag

 

Ah ok... that would be much better. Does it do that inconspicuously? Without informing the nearby iPhone that it's there?

 

Yes it would only give you a notification if one is near you for too long 8-24hrs

 

Extra security is all.
Not going to happen in 25 seconds, but say in the middle of the night and the asshole thieves aren't pressed for time, they can remove the interior panel of the tailgate and work the unlock mechanism and walk away with it.
Yes, they can release a hose clamp too, if they are allowed the time. I have the Sabellco keyed tailgate hinge lock in hopes of more deterrence, but it too can be picked --- eventually.



(My Sabellco lock cost under $70 in 2017. Price increase might show their value at protection. $120 now!!??!!?)

 

Tail gate security device from a TW member.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/christian06.699950/

Post #9 for ordering info.

 

Glad we were able to be of assistance! Very wise investment and we appreciate your business.

 

I'm not a user of Apple products, but my kids are...
My comment meant "you people" in the context of the bigger discussion on catching the thief, not Apple vs. Android ecosystems.

Apple built into the iOS operating system a community function where any Apple device will report to a central server the location of air tag devices detected within BT range... So if the owner reported his/her registered tag missing, the owner's device would display where the other device last encountered their tag.

I guess the system also provides a means for a person to see the tags in their immediate vicinity. This way for example a person could know if they were being stalked. It would also provide a thief a means to determine if the tailgate was being monitored...

Also a plug for the owner of SaBellCo. Super nice. I think you get priority shipping on his lock purchased from his website, and it's slightly cheaper than the cost if purchased from Amazon. IMHO, well worth it.

 

Sorry to hear it OP. This kind of stuff is enough to make anyone's blood boil.

I don't understand why manufacturers make tailgates so easy to remove. I've only removed mine once since owning the truck (apart from making modifications). I was loading a gun safe into the bed and didn't trust it to hold my weight and the weight of the safe. I would not have minded at all if I had to remove a couple bolts or remove a bracket or something to do so. I have since put a Pop & Lock on mine, plus the hose clamp mod, plus a tonneau cover. I would rather it be a little harder for me to remove on the rare occasion that I want to take it off than for it to be a 20 second job for some lowlife thief.

I know it's not much use after the fact, but the hose clamp mod is probably enough to deter a good majority of would-be thieves and it'll only cost you a couple bucks once you replace the tailgate. Of course there are plenty of more expensive options out there too. I never thought of it as a theft deterrent until now, but I also have kind of a retro T-100 style "Toyota" tailgate decal on mine that would make it pretty easy to spot on craigslist or ebay should it ever be stolen. Just a thought.

 

https://offerup.com/item/detail/9d6...Xz09LSy0qLdBLztcPz8vzMs0NTQ8pSQIAKCc+ER4AAAA=

wtf?

 

or -
https://offerup.com/item/detail/1483458624

 

or
https://offerup.com/item/detail/3ebe2bc2-31dc-39f5-9089-6e5109c23106?q=tacoma+tailgate&cid=5

 

Sucks OP. CA doing CA things sadly. Would leave that state ASAP.

 

Which city did this happen in ?

 

One of my first purchases was a pop & lock and a spare wheel lock. Even though the spare wheel lock can be easily bypassed at least its one more hurdle for thieves.

 

San Bernardino county