Forty vehicles have been reported stolen to Bakersfield Police Department this last week, according to the department’s crime map.
A local pickup truck group, Motor City Throwdown, said twelve Chevy and GMC pickup trucks have been stolen this month.
Dylan Moore told 23ABC his 2006 Chevy Silverado was stolen two months ago. He said he is still in shock, “Knowing that it happened so quickly, is just, it’s mind-blowing to be honest.”
Dylan Moore was at work when he says his truck was stolen. One moment he was outside taking out the trash. Ten minutes later when he checked on his truck, it was gone. He says what hurt him the most was this truck was used by three generations in his family.
“It was babied," Moore said. "The four-wheel drive has never been engaged. It had 80,000 miles on it. And keep in mind it was an 11-year-old truck. So it was still going strong.”
Moore said he got a call saying his truck was found in a junk yard, stripped and burnt. He said he wishes he parked where his work’s surveillance camera could have caught the thieves in the act.
According to the BPD crime map, vehicles thefts are being reported all over the city.
While CHP officers said they’re seeing a slight down tick in car thefts lately, they are expecting an increase during the holidays. And Chevy Silverados are the highest targeted car in the area, due to durability and popularity.
That’s why a local Chevy/GMC dealer and Motor City Throwdown this week is trying to help Bakersfield truck owners better protect themselves. They say hoods and tailgates are easy targets.
Billy Simkins with Motor City Throwdown said, “There’s something called a pivot locking device, that actually goes on one side of the tailgate. And it makes it so the tailgate can’t be removed.”
Simkins also says Chevy and GMC have changed the key on newer trucks to make it harder for thieves.
Moore said if he ever meets who stole his truck, he'll tell them, "Imagine it was yours is all I’d have to say. I mean it's devistating."
CHP officers also suggest not to leave anything of value in your truck. That way if it's broken into, there’s nothing of significance for them to take.
