Incredible News: Report Shows Slight Decline in Tailgate Thefts
You probably never thought you’d see the day when you could look into the eyes of your child and tell them, in your most comforting tone, “Fear not, my dear sweet offspring, the dark clouds that once covered our great nation are breaking. Tailgate thefts have declined slightly this year and we can now see light at the end of the tunnel.”
However, as unbelievable as it sounds, that time has finally come. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), reports of insured tailgate thefts have stabilized since 2014. In fact, such crimes actually decreased by around 5 percent in 2017.
Unfortunately, truck owners cannot let their guard down entirely. So long that there is money in it, automotive crime will always be an issue.
“The incentive for tailgate thefts is consistent with other thefts; the cost to replace an item legitimately far outweighs the risk to acquiring one by stealing it,” the NICB explained. “With new tailgates retailing around $1,300, with even higher costs for some variants, the demand contributes to a thriving underground market for vehicle parts — a market fed with parts removed from stolen vehicles.”
You likelihood of becoming a victim of this oddly specific crime varies wildly by where you keep your vehicle parked, however. Over the last two years, Texas had the most tailgate theft claims (with 1,360 reported incidents). It was followed by California (with 1,039). While Florida, Arizona, and Nevada also saw an above-average risk, the Golden and Lone Star States encompassed the vast majority of reported incidents — more than their elevated populations could account for.
Nevada saw a major spike in tailgate-related crime, with a 245 percent increase of thefts in 2016-2017 against 2014-2016. However, incidents still trended downward on a national scale. The NICB attributes the overall decline to vehicles now have locking tailgates as standard kit. It also suggests owners of older models purchase tailgate locks to make their vehicles less attractive to opportunistic thieves.
[Image: NICB]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Most important part of this story to me... You used a '68 Chevy C10 Fleetside as the picture. Win.
My neighbor across the alley always backs his F-150 in with the tailgate near the house. Hard to steal a tailgate if there's no room to open it and walking up close to the house to even look at the tailgate is a little risky when the locals are very "polite" in the Heinlein way.