Who The F*ck Stole My Truck?

If you have had your truck stolen in Alberta, chances are it’s now basking under the sun in Ghana or Nigeria.

According to police, that’s where most stolen vehicles end up. If you are curious, you could always check yourself using Jiji.

Jiji is basically the same thing as Kijiji, but for Africa. On Jiji, buyers and sellers can exchange goods. Were those goods stolen? Nobody asks.

This includes vehicles. If you use the “foreign used” filter and search for your stolen vehicle’s make and model, you may just find your car. 

It’s no coincidence that Canada’s most stolen vehicles are also highly advertised on Jiji. These cars sell for way more in Africa than they would in Canada.

But some vehicles are more valuable than others.

In Canada, some of the most targeted vehicles for theft are trucks. But if you are the proud owner of a Ford F-150 truck in Alberta, we have some especially bad news for you.

Alberta already takes the cake when it comes to car thefts. But this year, the province’s truck wrangling bandits are out in full force targeting Ford F-150 models.

If you own a Ford F-150, there could very well be a target on your truck’s back or should I say, truck bed. The reason?

Supply and demand, baby.

The rarer something is, the more people want it. Because of the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, there is also a shortage of usable Ford F-150 trucks.

Even if Ford can pump out thousands of trucks, they are useless without a semiconductor. 

It would be like trying to use a TV remote without batteries. 

The Ford F-150 is Canada’s most popular pickup truck. With a shortage of this particular model, the truck has become popular amongst both thieves and shady buyers. 

In March, three men were charged by Edmonton Police Services for the theft of 40 F-150 trucks. Only seven of these trucks were recovered. The rest are probably getting a nice tan overseas. 

Whether you own a Ford F-150 or not, you should still take precautions to make it an unsavoury target. Especially if you live in Alberta. And even more so if you live in Drayton Valley, which seems to be a hot spot for coordinated truck thefts.

Parking in a garage, making sure your doors are locked, and keeping your car in a well-lit area are all good options for making sure your car is still there when you wake up.