Police: Gainesville thieves targeting Ford trucks

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A rash of truck thefts has the Gainesville Police Department warning owners to be on alert.

In the past 30 days, GPD has investigated nine reports of stolen Ford F-250/F-350 trucks. The 2003-2010 generation is being targeted during these thefts, police said.

Video of Gainesville truck theft

Thieves are managing to enter locked trucks and steal them in just about a minute (shown in video surveillance), police said. They are being stolen mainly from parking lots of shopping centers and hotels.

It's unclear how the thieves are able to enter the trucks, but once inside, they hot wire them and drive off, police said.

"We believe that criminals have found that they're very easy to break into. And the criminals are always looking for that path of least resistance," GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias said. "Just based on what we've found, there's a couple of different tools these criminals are using. This allows them to bypass that locking mechanism very quickly."

Investigators have recovered some of the vehicles and forensic evidence has identified at least two suspects, but there may be more, police said.

Police are trying to figure out why those makes and models are being targeted. They said once they're in criminal hands, the trucks could be shipped overseas or cut up for parts that can rake in a lot of cash.

"Some of the parts of these vehicles are worth more separately than on the vehicle, so these criminals are looking for any way that they can to find transportation or make money," Tobias said.

GPD is encouraging owners of those particular truck makes and models to make sure they don't leave any valuables in their trucks and to secure them. Park in a place that is well lit, and with the most probability of being captured on video surveillance or by witnesses, police said.

GPD officers are increasing patrols both high profile and with undercover officers.

News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said one of the best things truck owners can do to protect themselves is to make the truck itself more difficult to steal. For example, they can buy a steering wheel lock. Plus, it's good to make sure the truck's alarm is working.


About the Author:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.