Washington Vehicle Thieves Zero In On New Target

Thieves Going After a New Target on Washington Vehicles

I’ve now seen two posts on social media concerning thieves who break into parked cars at the bottom of Wenatchee's Horse Lake Gravel Road. Those Thieves waited until the coast was clear, broke car windows, and took whatever they could.

Another local bike rider commented: “That same person has been breaking windows there and stealing wallets for over 10 years!”

I unfortunately saw this same person’s pain and anguish when a break-in happened to his vehicle a couple of years ago in the gravel parking area, at the bottom of Horse Lake Road.

It’s another reminder to ensure we do not leave anything valuable behind in our cars. 

Thieves Going After a New Target On Your Vehicle

According to a news outlet in Texas, law enforcement wants everyone to be alert as a new warning is issued for vehicle owners.

For years, thieves have seemed to target catalytic converters. A new trend has emerged this year—a target that is easier for criminals to steal if left unlocked: the tailgate of your pickup truck. 

Law Enforcement Caught Thieves Recently

A Houston area victim saw what they believed was their tailgate for sale on social media and contacted law enforcement. 

Tailgates Bring in Big Money

Thieves stealing tailgates are selling them for as much as $10,000. 

Law Enforcement has three essential pieces of advice

1 - They strongly suggest looking into tailgate locks. 

2 - Locking your vehicle and tailgate, using OBD port covers or locks, installing a steering wheel lock, or an aftermarket alarm system. 

Note: An OBD port is an On-Board Diagnostics port. This is what mechanics use to run tests and diagnostics on your car’s computer. They can then diagnose the status of your vehicle’s sub-systems and prevent faults or maintenance problems before they happen.

3—Store your key fob in a Faraday bag when your vehicle is parked at home. This will prevent thieves from cloning the key FOB signal to steal things from your vehicle or property.