Thieves targeting Toyota Tacoma trucks as tailgate thefts spike in Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- Costa Mesa Auto Body and Paint is ready to help drivers fix all kinds of issues with their vehicles.

Recently, owner Jay Herrera said they've had to replace truck owners' missing tailgates.

"They're very desirable because they're so easy to take off," he said. "[Customers] come in with no tailgate and they're like 'Tailgate's gone. I was asleep, came out, gone.' Or even just as easy as 'I went to pick up some material for work, I came out and tailgate was gone.'"

As to why tailgates are targeted, Herrera suspects thieves are making money off its parts.

"It's not just the tailgate that they take. It's cameras, door handles, with the newer Chevys and F-150s, they have what's called an assistance step so when you open the tailgate a step comes out so you can hop into the back of the truck," Herrera said.

Costa Mesa police said it's been an issue over the last few months.

Authorities have seen at least 20 tailgates stolen from pickups.

The department said 19 were stolen from Toyota Tacomas.

Now owners of the popular trucks, like Kent Buechner, are on the lookout.

"I think it's a very good thing for people to be aware that don't have a garage or don't have a driveway to park it in," Buechner said.

In May, suspects were caught on surveillance camera on West Wilson Street removing a tailgate from a 2016 Tacoma in under 60 seconds.

Authorities are looking for a male suspect who carried the tailgate into the trunk of a black Honda sedan and a female suspect waiting in the passenger seat.

While the tailgates are easy to steal, they're also easy to protect.

"On the hinges on the sides there's a lock that they sell that you put on the hinge, on the main hinge," Herrera said.

"I'm going to see if I can jam my car in the garage with my other cars," Buechner said. "I'm going to let everybody else know, too, that has a Tacoma or even just a pickup truck."

It can range between $2,500 to $4,500 to repaint, install and recalibrate a new tailgate.