CAPE TOWN - For the past three years, hijacking has been on the rise and has overtaken theft as the predominant percentage of vehicle crime activities.
This is according to Tracker’s vehicle crime statistics for the period July to December 2021.
Recorded from the company’s more than 1.1 million installed vehicle base, the statistics indicate that hijacking contributed 57.5% of the Tracker vehicle crime activities for the second half of 2021.
This is a reversal from July to December 2018, theft accounted for 57.2% of the vehicle crime activities.
“The slant towards hijacking is most likely an opportunistic tactic, with a noticeable increase in vehicles being targeted for their contents, particularly fast-moving consumable goods. Drivers carrying large amounts of cash are also being targeted,” Tracker said.
Data shows a higher proportion of vehicles are reported hijacked on Thursdays followed by Tuesdays, with a higher incidence of hijacking between the hours of 4pm and 8pm.
However, the percentage difference to other days of the week and time of day was marginal, meaning hijacking could happen on any day of the week and at any time of the day.
Gauteng still experienced the most vehicle crime, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
However, the Western Cape had the highest incidence of hijacking compared to theft with a 78/22% split.
This was followed by Gauteng with a 55/45% split and KwaZulu-Natal with a 53/47% split in favour of hijacking.
Tracker’s efforts to combat vehicle crime resulted in 3 144 vehicle recoveries, 337 arrests and 22 firearms recovered for the six-month period under review.
“As our daily lives are getting back to normal, it seems that crime is not,” says Duma Ngcobo, chief operating oOfficer at Tracker.
“These days, it is more difficult to steal a vehicle that is locked, armed and in a secure location, versus one that is out on the road and already operating. We require a collaborative effort between private security and law enforcement agencies to tackle vehicle crime and thus break the backbone of all crime to create a safer South Africa.”
Cape Times