There Were Fewer Tailgate Thefts Last Year, Report Finds

Some good news for those of you with tailgates. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that insured tailgate thefts have stabilized since 2014. They also fell slightly in 2017 over 2016 numbers.

Tailgate Thefts Down Slightly

NICB analysis presented in its press release shows that in 2016, there were 1,877 claims for tailgate theft identified in ISO ClaimSearch, an insurance industry claims database. That number decreased to 1,788 in 2017. There were 17 fewer thefts noted in this report when compared to the 2014-2015 theft figures.

This report is based on insurance claims. Therefore, the actual number of tailgate theft incidents reported to law enforcement agencies may be considerably higher since many thefts do not generate an insurance claim.



Credit: NICB

Top States for Tailgate Thefts

The top five states for tailgate thefts�2016 and 2017 combined�were: Texas (1,360), California (1,039), Florida (240), Arizona (156), and Nevada (107). There are also four new states in the Top 10 this year: Michigan, Missouri, Nevada and South Carolina.

Top Cities for Tailgate Thefts

Houston tailgate owners are the most at risk of becoming tailgate victims. Houston (277) tops the list of hot spot cities, followed by 277), Dallas (242), San Antonio (196), Los Angeles (97), and Fresno, Calif. (79).

See the complete report here.

New Tailgate Costs and Theft Deterrents

With new tailgates retailing around $1,300, with even higher costs for some variants, the NICB says demand contributes to a thriving underground market for stolen vehicle parts.

New vehicles now have locking tailgates that help deter thefts. Owners of older models can purchase tailgate locks to make their vehicles less attractive to thieves.

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