While car theft may be the biggest concern for drivers - and rightfully so - the rising number of tailgate thefts is also something truck owners need to look out for. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) recently did a first-time study on the number of these incidents around the U.S. and found that more than 1,340 of these thefts were reported over the past several years.
Texas was the state with the most reported thefts, which may not be surprising when the number of trucks in the state is considered, Truck Trend reports. The most popular targets were from the Ford F-Series, with various models from the line edging out the Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge pickups for the top spots.
Replacing tailgates can cost upwards of $1,000 for newer models of trucks, and the auto repair that may be required if damage was done to the vehicle can be even higher. Proactive measures can be taken to prevent this incident from happening, and car owners should consider purchasing an integrated lock and inscribing the vehicle identification number and some personal identification into the tailgate. When parking, the rear of the truck should be as close to another object or building as possible to limit the opening the tailgate has.