Why Do People Keep Stealing Ford Super Duty Tail Lights? (And How To Keep Yours Safe)

Pickup trucks have gotten bigger over the years, but they've also received increasingly more luxurious features. Take the 2025 Ford Super Duty, for example, which lets you install Venetian leather seats, a high-end Bang & Olufsen audio system, and 5G wi-fi, among other options. Unsurprisingly, Ford's upper-tier pickups can run anywhere from $45,300 on the starting end up to $94,035 for the massive F-450 Platinum. Being that these trucks are expensive, naturally, they have become the target of thieves, but probably not in the way you might think. Unlawful individuals continue to find and exploit aspects of new vehicles, such as the unexpected way thieves are using the headlights to get inside cars. But some criminals aren't after what's inside the vehicle — some are after your Super Duty's taillights. 

San Antonio Police have begun warning owners of F-Series pickup trucks that criminals are targeting their vehicles and stealing the taillights. As to why thieves would want to steal taillights, with sophisticated driver assistance systems that utilize sensors, cameras, and costly modules, these tail lights include multiple components and have become quite expensive, garnering the attention of criminals looking to cash in.

Of course, it isn't just happening in the San Antonio area and it's become quite an ongoing trend that has many truck owners concerned. Fortunately, in response, a few anti-theft companies like Latch Lid and Gate Guard, among others, have come up with security kits to help make taillight theft more difficult. But, 

Essentially, criminals gain access to the fasteners holding the taillights in place by opening the tailgate. Couldn't you just lock the tailgate? Yes, and owners have been, but thieves have found a few areas they can exploit to unlock the tailgate without setting off the alarm. For those who know what they're doing, this operation can take under a minute. One victim explained, "I was the closest parking spot to the front door. They didn't even just drop the bolts for the taillights on the ground, they placed them nice and neatly inside the bed."

If you have the upper-trim LED taillights, a theft could cost you over $2,000 for each unit, and that doesn't include any damage that might have taken place during the theft. Fortunately, for a modest investment, you can make your truck much more difficult for criminals. Anti-theft devices may not protect your property against a very determined thief, but anything put in place that makes the job longer and harder becomes a real deterrent. 

The anti-theft devices available for the Super Duty taillights are basically metal covers that bolt onto the bed using security fasteners and prevent criminals from unlocking the tailgate easily or accessing the bolts that hold the light into place. Of course, even worse than missing taillights is a missing truck, making it crucial to employ some handy tips to prevent your vehicle from being stolen.