How a spike in Denver F-150 thefts could be a sign of a national trend

Denver police issued a city-wide alert on its Facebook page that 180 Ford F-series trucks have been stolen already this year compared to 137 overall last year.

It is unclear why the thieves are targeting the Ford trucks. It might be because they are just so plentiful, The F-series trucks have been the highest selling vehicles for decades. They may also be chopped and parted out for repairs.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that Ford trucks are also the most stolen nationwide. The NICB says 29,396 Ford trucks were reported stolen nationwide in 2015. Jeeps and Hondas are also frequently heisted. A check of the Colorado Stolen Vehicle Watchlist Facebook page shows 12 Ford trucks stolen since September 1st. The same page shows only one Ram and one Toyota truck stolen during the same period.

One Ford truck listed on the Watchlist page was stolen on the same day it was purchased. Several thefts have been caught on surveillance video. Frequently the thieves arrive in another stolen pickup and take off with both. Police are warning all truck owners, but especially Ford owners to have extra security on theirs pickups. Several different alarms and/or kill switches are available. Something as old-fashioned as a steering wheel lock may convince thieves to move on to a different vehicle.

Nationwide last year, Chevrolet and Ram full size trucks also made the list of the top ten stolen vehicles. However, the Chevy and Ram are not seeing the spike in thefts that Ford trucks are experiencing, in Colorado.

No word yet on whether nearby states are seeing the same increase in Ford pickup thefts. I would imagine that Colorado police are warning other states of the possibility.