Man charged in tailgate thefts in Abbotsford, Langley

Abbotsford police have arrested a 38-year-old man after more than 80 truck tailgates were reported stolen in B.C.'s Fraser Valley since 2016.

David Ahner, who has a long criminal record of property crime in the area, is charged with three counts of theft over $5,000 and one count of driving while disqualfied.

Police allege he stole two Ford F350 tailgates from Langley and one Ford F350 tailgate from Abbotsfordand arelooking into whether he wasalso involvedin dozens of other similarthefts in Langley, Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack.

The tailgates can cost up to $10,000 to replaceand have beentargeted by thieves because their resalecan be "quite lucrative," said Abbotsford police Const. Ian MacDonald.

While that might sound expensive, the parts department of a Vancouver Ford dealership confirmed the tailgate of an F350 with a back-up camera and other options can cost between $7,000 and $10,000 to replace..

MacDonald said truck owners can protect themselves by locking their tailgate, which prevents thieves from gaining easy access.

• Tailgate theft sees new trend targeting trucks

"I understandbusy people moving loads in and out of the back of the pickup truck may not think to lock that tailgate," said MacDonald.

"But in almost every instance where these tailgates have been stolen, the tailgate had been left unlocked first."

When unlocked, the tailgate can be removed in minutes, said MacDonald.

Strings of tailgate thefts have been reported across the country, including in Maple Ridge in 2016 and North Vancouver in 2013.

Anyone with information relating to the Abbotsford investigation is asked to call the department at 604-859-5225.