Tailgate Thieves Strike Again in Columbus, Ohio
From the ‘Some People Suck’ file — criminals all over are stealing pickup tailgates. Is your Toyota next?
According to ABC 6 Columbus, a restaurant security camera captured thieves stealing the tailgate from a blue Toyota Tundra. Sim Lueng was working at The Rice Bowl restaurant in Columbus when two thieves removed his tailgate and sped off in their own pickup.
Lueng regularly uses his pickup to pick up ingredients and supplies for the restaurant. It’s been difficult for him ever since the theft.
His missing tailgate is costing him time and money. With no way to prevent things from falling out of the bed, he’ll be having to make extra trips until the tailgate is replaced.
This latest incident happened just two days before Christmas, but it’s been an epidemic around the country for years now. In an interview with ABC 6 Columbus, Leung was understandably exasperated by the theft. “That’s crazy. Why would someone steal a tailgate? For what reason?”
Thieves are stealing tailgates from trucks all over. There are many reasons why.
Why Tailgates?
Most importantly, tailgates are easy to steal. They’re relatively heavy, so if they cannot be sold to someone needing the part, they can be scrapped for a decent amount of money.
Moreover, today’s tailgates are packed with technology like back-up cameras, making them even more valuable to thieves. Since tailgates lack identification numbers, they’re difficult to trace.
Like anything else, there’s not much you can do to stop a dedicated thief from making off with your tailgate — or your entire truck, if they want it bad enough. However, there are a few simple things you can do to protect yourself and your truck.
Always lock your tailgate. Thieves are looking for a quick hit, and drilling out the lock cylinder is not worth the time or risk most of the time. Also, park in a well-lit area, with high foot traffic when you can. If your truck is parked in a dark area behind a building, that makes it harder for criminals to be spotted — and easier for them to make off with your tailgate.
Photos: ABC 6 Columbus
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