Theft of tailgates with built-in cameras

[Blackhat6mike]

Note by site team: This post and replies have been moved into their own thread

I just finished reading a report about there being a big market for pickup truck tailgates with backup cameras. The insurance industry says there have been more than 1,700 claims for stolen tailgates. They say there have been many more that have not been claimed as their deductibles were higher or didn't want their rates to increase. Who would have thought it?
They say the tailgates can cost upward of $3,000 each and recommends you lock your tailgate if you have that ability, or back it up to a wall or tree as it has to be opened to steal it. Honestly, I never gave it a thought before. I now keep it "key locked". Just FYI.
I hope this is the right thread to post this info.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Blackhat6mike

I just finished reading a report about there being a big market for pickup truck tailgates with backup cameras. The insurance industry says there have been more than 1,700 claims for stolen tailgates. They say there have been many more that have not been claimed as their deductibles were higher or didn't want their rates to increase. Who would have thought it?
They say the tailgates can cost upward of $3,000 each and recommends you lock your tailgate if you have that ability, or back it up to a wall or tree as it has to be opened to steal it. Honestly, I never gave it a thought before. I now keep it "key locked". Just FYI.
I hope this is the right thread to post this info.

I remove my tailgate to keep any issues to a minimum when I am out for more than a weekend plus it weights about 75 pounds or so.

[Blackhat6mike]

I use a game cam to watch over our boat when parked in the water near the TT. It can also be used on your RV, just put it on a tree out of sight and high enough it won't be seen. I have it secured with a stainless steel cable around the tree and a lock. Even drove off once and forgot it. Went back a week later and it was still there with plenty of pix of the campers after us and several raccoons. You can set them for snapshots or video and 32GB is a lot of pix [several thousand].
We also have three scare lights that we never turn off even in storage.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by Blackhat6mike

I just finished reading a report about there being a big market for pickup truck tailgates with backup cameras. The insurance industry says there have been more than 1,700 claims for stolen tailgates. They say there have been many more that have not been claimed as their deductibles were higher or didn't want their rates to increase. Who would have thought it?
They say the tailgates can cost upward of $3,000 each and recommends you lock your tailgate if you have that ability, or back it up to a wall or tree as it has to be opened to steal it. Honestly, I never gave it a thought before. I now keep it "key locked". Just FYI.
I hope this is the right thread to post this info.

Just removed the tailgate from my 4 day of F350 and replaced it with a Husky aluminum 5er tailgate. Do not miss the camera and do not miss the constant beep when backing with the tailgate down. Beep works without the camera but this tailgate does not set it off when down.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by Blackhat6mike

I just finished reading a report about there being a big market for pickup truck tailgates with backup cameras. The insurance industry says there have been more than 1,700 claims for stolen tailgates. They say there have been many more that have not been claimed as their deductibles were higher or didn't want their rates to increase. Who would have thought it?
They say the tailgates can cost upward of $3,000 each and recommends you lock your tailgate if you have that ability, or back it up to a wall or tree as it has to be opened to steal it. Honestly, I never gave it a thought before. I now keep it "key locked". Just FYI.
I hope this is the right thread to post this info.

Around this area your tailgate is safe ...... the thieves leave them on as they steal the entire truck too much trouble just stealing the tailgate ........ sad but true.............

Just kidding but you are right our nephew had his tailgate stolen in Texas.........

[jonrjen]

I purchased a 5th wheel tailgate that I have on my truck 85% of the time. The other 15% with the factory tailgate is for times when I need a tailgate that will hold some weight or simply for a change in eye candy for my truck.


I went to Amazon and purchased a small back up camera for under $20 then to the Ford dealer to purchase a rear wire harness for the factory back up camera and wired it to the Amazon purchased camera. This works just as well as the OEM tailgate camera set up for around a $32 investment.

[Restcure]

We keep ours locked.

[emm-dee]

I've heard the value of a stolen tailgate is the aluminum. The camera isn't worth very much.

[Teamfour]

I installed one of the following so my tailgate is locked whenever the truck is locked.
https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Lock-PL82...eywords=pl8250

[joshuajim]

A simple $2 hose clamp installed on the right hinge will eliminate 90% of thefts. The clamp keeps it from just being lifted off.

Or for about $20 you can get a keyed hinge lock.

[packrat48]

around here it doesn't matter about camera they take tailgates spare tires and sometimes even all four tires and wheels. years ago where I worked they even stole transmissions that were floor shift

[f5moab]

Tailgate thefts dropped in 2015 | Fox News

[B and B]

Originally Posted by joshuajim

A simple $2 hose clamp installed on the right hinge will eliminate 90% of thefts. The clamp keeps it from just being lifted off.

Or for about $20 you can get a keyed hinge lock.

That is a good idea also stop the tailgate from popping off if there is snow or ice on the bumper. Going to put one on.

I also lock my tailgate

[Wobbles]

A buddy of mine told me a story about his gated community. The community has a private lake with a 5hp limit, that about 35 of the houses have water access too. Seems one weekend everyone discovered that all of their motors had been un-bolted and dropped off the end of the boats. You could see your motor in the water looking straight down from the stern of the boat.

This was attributed to kids bad horseplay. Two months later after everyone had the insurance company replacement. They were all stolen.

Kids, I think not.

I keep waiting for someone to start stealing/cutting-off body panels of the aluminum body trucks like they do the catalytic converters.

[Wobbles]

Oh and yes, I have a camera in my tailgate.

[wrvond]

My tailgate has the camera, the step, and the stripper pole. It's one of the most expensive tailgates you can buy. It takes mere seconds to lift a tailgate off and walk away. Mere seconds more if the thief has to punch the lock. But for less than sixty seconds work, the thief can make $500.00 or more. A guy heading to replace his $1500.00 tailgate isn't going to ask too many questions.

Remember- when seconds count, the police are only minutes away...

[SaskCampers]

Put a Jimmi Jammer Gate Keeper on my tailgate as well as Jimmi Jammers in the doors. Unless you have a Torx bit in your back pocket it is not coming off easily and a would be thief will generally move on to an easier target.

[doc73]

I do have to disagree with what Jimmy Jammer says though... The most common tool used in vehicle theft and break in is... NOTHING... 99% the car are left unlocked... LOL

[Steve29rlx]

My tailgate locks when I lock the doors. Came from the factory like that.

[Big Red and 30WR]

Originally Posted by Steve29rlx

My tailgate locks when I lock the doors. Came from the factory like that.

X2