Texas Truck Owners: Stop Tailgate & Taillight Theft Now

(Mix 93-1) In Texas, pickup trucks rule the road. You can haul all of your gear and toys for a weekend camping trip. You can haul your equipment to finish the backyard project. You can haul your buddy's stuff to help him move apartments, although you'd rather be hauling your gear for the weekend camping trip!

Trucks are versatile. You can get a lot more done much more easily than with a car, and that's why they're the vehicle of Texas.

The Most Stolen Pickup Trucks in Texas

With so many trucks on the road, they're also a huge target for thieves. According to Finance Buzz from WFAA, the National Insurance Crime Bureau stated that the Chevrolet Silverado was the most stolen vehicle in Texas in 2024. Followed by the GMC Sierra at number 2 and the Ford F-150 and F-250 at numbers 4 and 5, respectively.

Thieves view trucks as prime targets to make a quick buck from the parts they can steal and resell quickly. Among the thieves' favorite things to make off with are tailgates and taillights.

Real Victim Stories: Tailgate Theft in Houston

Truck tailgate thefts increased in the Houston area so much so that KHOU 11 reports, one man called the Houston Police Department to report the theft of two of his tailgates just months apart from each other. Police departments across the state are monitoring thefts in addition to thefts of truck tail lights.

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Why Tail-Lights Are a High-Value Target

Truck tail lights may seem to be a weird thing to steal, but certain tail lights are rather expensive to replace. I had to have one of my taillights replaced on my truck, and after looking at the replacement cost, I was shocked. Thankfully, the other driver's insurance company covered it because the one taillight was $700.

Sergeant Tracy Hicks with the Houston Police Department says, "taillight thefts have been increasing in recent years because thieves can grab more of them and make more money." (KHOU 11) Today's truck taillights have some sophisticated technology in them for blind spot monitoring and other safety features.

Easy Tailgate & Tail-Light Theft Prevention Tips

• lock your truck's tailgate
• back in towards your garage
• back in towards other vehicles in parking lots
• contact the dealership/auto parts store for special products for taillights

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Any ounce of prevention that you take can help you from becoming a victim and having to make an insurance claim, which could raise your rates.

If you do become a victim of tailgate or tail light theft, make sure you report that to your local police department.