“...steal the tailgate...”
???
Are you kidding? I’ve never heard that one.
Around here,I know one guy who had three of them stolen off of ONE of his high end Ford trucks. Also heard a couple people with dented tailgates having shady types randomly come up and offer to sell a replacement for cheap, like the great stereo speakers that “fell of a truck”.
Tailgate theft happens.
New tailgate for high end model truck is $1500+
Easy to remove
Drop the tailgate
Raise it slightly and release the cables on each side
Lower the tailgate below level, without denting it on the bumper or hitch ball
Lift up end with wide pin hinge
Slide to that side to disengage pin on the other
Carry it away
Popping the lock and prying open a tonneau cover is the only noisy part of the operation. Other than that, makes no noise. Two guys and gone in twenty seconds.