post 48 tailgate 28 is removable from the box 22 the first step in removing the tailgate 28 is to disconnect the cables 40 from the cable post 48 to disconnect the finger 56 is bent away from the clip 46 the post 48 is slid into the larger portion 52 and the post 48 is removed from the slot 50 next the pins are removed from the sockets in some vehicles one of the sockets includes a half moon cutout allowing one pin to be lifted from the socket after one pin is free the other pin is pulled out of its respective socket to remove the tailgate 28 the tailgate removal process is fairly straightforward and can be accomplished in a short amount of time this makes the tailgate an easy target for theft traditionally a main deterrent to tailgate theft was the bulk and weight of the tailgate modern pickup trucks often employ lighter weight materials such as aluminum alloys and thinner gauge steel tailgates made from these materials are significantly lighter than their traditional counterparts and are easier to steal tailgate theft can be deterred by increasing the time and difficulty of removing the cable clips 46 from the cable posts 48 referring to fig4 5 6 and 7 an anti theft device or locking assembly 66 may be installed onto one or more of the clips 46 to prevent the finger 56 from deflecting which prevents removal of the clip 46 from the post 48 the anti theft device 66 includes a sleeve 67 having a top 68 a bottom 70.