Johnnie Shackelford describes herself as a people person. She has worked in home health care with a retirement community in Preston Hollow for several years. She enjoys her job and working within elderly residents in the area.
“I like helping people,” she says. “It’s a personal job, and if you don’t like that, it’s not for you.”
It was while doing what she loves, serving others, that she became a victim.
“I went to leave and go home and my tailgate was missing,” she says.
Shackelford drives a Ford F-150, and was furious at the violation of her personal property. The loss will cost several hundred dollars to replace. The incident was the first time Shackelford has been the victim of a crime.
“I was upset; I was livid,” she says of seeing the void left by the missing tailgate. “I wish someone would find the tailgate and return it to me, but I know that’s probably not going to happen.”
Dallas Police Lt. Barry Payne of the North Central Patrol Division says this type of crime is one of many types of auto accessory crimes that can be a real nuisance to citizens.
“This happens fairly regularly and really, there is not a lot one can do other than the standard security recommendations like parking in safe locations and secure garages,” Payne says. “One additional recommendation would be to engrave the VIN of the vehicle somewhere on the tailgate in a non-obvious place. Thieves who take these tailgates sell them to body shops and people who need to replace their tailgates that were stolen.”
For those concerned about these types of crime or who may have been victimized in the past, Payne says certain auto accessory stores sell aftermarket tailgate locks that can prevent thieves from actually opening the tailgate.
The Victim: Johnnie Shackelford
The Crime: Auto accessory theft
Date: Monday, Feb. 7
Time: Between 12:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.
Location: 8500 block of Thackery
8:35 A.M.
Time of day when a neighbor endured aggravated assault in front of his home between Midway and Crestline. He caught the suspect tresspassing in the driveway. the suspect then got into a vehicle and tried to run over the neighbor before speeding away
$200
Estimated value of items stolen from a home’s shed in the 4900 block of Mill Creek, including an air compressor kit and sleeping bags along with damage to the window
03.04
Date when someone entered an antique store on Forest Lane, pried open a cabinet and stole $1,950 worth of silver
