Ford Truck Tail Light Theft: Why Miller CAT’s Security Screws Are the Best Solution

Why Ford Tail Light Theft is on the Rise: Are Security Screws the Best Solution?

If you’re one of the unlucky Ford truck owners who has already had your tail lights stolen, you know just how expensive and frustrating the ordeal can be. Ford tail light theft has quickly become a growing problem nationwide, turning what seems like a small, replaceable part into a high-value target for thieves. Owners of Ford F-150s and Super Duty trucks are often left with massive repair bills, wiring damage, and weeks of downtime waiting for replacements.

In this post, we’ll cover why Ford tail light theft is on the rise, who thieves are targeting, how much it really costs to replace stolen tail lights, the common myths about tail light protection, and most importantly, why MILLER CAT's FORD F-SERIES TAIL LIGHT SECURITY SCREWS are the most effective and affordable tail light theft prevention solution available.

Why Are Ford Truck Tail Lights Being Stolen?

High-Value Components
Modern Ford tail lights are advanced electronic assemblies, not just bulbs and plastic. Many include LEDs, blind spot monitoring radar, and integrated sensors. Premium Ford tail lights can cost upwards of $1,500 each! Which makes them incredibly valuable on the black market.

Quick & Easy to Steal
On most F-150 and Super Duty trucks, tail lights are held in by only a couple of screws. Thieves can bypass a tailgate latch and remove the lights in under a minute, often without triggering alarms. This makes them a quick, low-risk target compared to other vehicle parts.

High Resale Demand
With the Ford F-Series being the best-selling truck line in the U.S., there’s a massive resale market. Stolen tail lights often end up online or in unscrupulous repair shops and collision centers, sold at a discount but still at a high profit for thieves.

Who Is Being Targeted?

• Late-Model & High-End Ford Trucks: F-150 Platinum, Raptor, and Super Duty trims with LED + BLIS modules are the biggest targets.
  
  

• Everyday Locations: Parking lots, hotel garages, suburban driveways, even airports. Theft happens both at night and in broad daylight.
  
  

• 2010 & Newer Models: Thefts skyrocketed once Ford introduced LED assemblies and sensor-equipped lights.

Tail light theft is no longer confined to high-crime areas. It is happening anywhere Ford trucks are parked. Late-model F-150s and Super Duty trucks with premium LED and BLIS-equipped assemblies are the most at risk for tail light theft. Thieves can remove these lights in under a minute, so Ford tail light thefts are being reported in airport garages, hotel lots, suburban driveways, and busy shopping centers. Since 2010 and newer models introduced advanced electronics, the problem has continued to grow, affecting both everyday drivers and owners of high-end trims.

What Does It Cost to Replace Stolen Tail Lights?

Replacing stolen Ford F-150 tail lights or Super Duty tail lights is anything but cheap. Modern assemblies are no longer simple bulbs and plastic covers; they are advanced electronic systems that integrate LEDs, sensors, and wiring harnesses. This means that when your lights are stolen, you are not just replacing a lens, you are paying for a high-value electronic component.

Here is a breakdown of approximate OEM replacement costs per side:

For many Ford truck owners, the expense of tail light theft goes far beyond replacing the stolen tail lights. Thieves almost always take both, which means a stolen set of F-150 tail lights can cost more than $3,000 to replace, while a pair of Super Duty tail lights with BLIS modules can easily reach $4,000–$6,000 in parts alone.

The damage does not stop there. In their rush, thieves often break tailgate access panels, cut wiring harnesses, or bend metal around the housing. These repairs add hundreds or even thousands in labor, with some victims paying more than $6,000 once wiring and tailgate damage were included.

Even with insurance, owners face deductibles, premium increases, and delays. OEM LED assemblies for F-150 and Super Duty trucks can take weeks to source, leaving vehicles sidelined while owners wait for repairs.

Myths About Tail Light Protection

• “Backing into a wall will protect me.” Not always! You will not have the luxury of having a hand wall to back your truck into.
  
  

• “My truck’s alarm will go off.” Most factory alarms do not detect tail light removal.
  
  

• “It only happens in bad neighborhoods.” Theft reports span airports, shopping centers, and suburban driveways.

Many Ford F-150 and Super Duty owners think simple tricks will keep their tail lights safe, but most fall short. Backing into a wall might help in some cases, but you will not always have a wall or garage available, and thieves can still bypass locked tailgates. Factory alarms rarely detect tail light removal, so your truck may never trigger an alert. And it is not just so-called ‘bad neighborhoods’ at risk. Reports of stolen Ford tail lights have come from a wide range of locations. Relying on these myths gives a false sense of security, while real protection comes from proven solutions like Miller CAT’s tamper-proof security screws.

Why Miller CAT’s Ford F-Series Security Screws Are the Best Solution

Most products that claim to protect against tail light theft, like latch kits or bulky metal guards, come with serious drawbacks. They often require drilling or hours of installation, they change the clean OEM look of your truck, they are expensive, and in many cases, determined thieves can still find ways to work around them. In other words, they create extra cost and hassle without fully solving the problem.

Miller CAT’s security screws, on the other hand, go directly to the root issue: easy access. By replacing the factory screws with MILLER CAT's FORD F-SERIES TAIL LIGHT SECURITY SCREWS, you lock the lights in place without altering your truck’s appearance or function. These screws are precision-engineered for 2010 and newer F-150 and Super Duty trucks, using a patented tamper-proof design and a unique security key that is not available in stores.

Installation takes just minutes, with no drilling or modifications needed. The OEM-spec thread pitch ensures a perfect fit that won’t damage your light housing, while the corrosion-resistant coating matches factory durability. Once installed, your tail lights are secure. A thief with a basic wrench or screwdriver will not be able to remove them quickly, forcing them to move on to an easier target. Lastly, Miller CAT’s Ford Security Screws were designed as a cost-conscious solution to protect your Ford F-150 tail lights and super duty tail lights without breaking the bank, making them a smart investment and offering an affordable layer of security.  

The Bottom Line

Ford tail light theft is not slowing down,in fact, frequency and reports of this crime are steadily increasing. With OEM replacement costs that can exceed $5,000 for F-150 and Super Duty tail lights, the impact on owners is devastating. Thieves know how easy these assemblies are to remove, and myths like relying on alarms, parking strategies, or bulky aftermarket guards simply do not provide reliable protection.

The reality is clear: proactive prevention is the only real solution. 

Do not wait until you are left with a massive repair bill and weeks of downtime. Protect your F-150 tail lights or Super Duty tail lights with MillerCAT’s proven anti-theft security screws  today. The cost of prevention is small compared to the thousands you could lose tomorrow.

Act now! Secure your Ford truck with MILLER CAT's FORD F-SERIES TAIL LIGHT SECURITY SCREWS and keep your lights where they belong: on your truck, not in the hands of a thief.