By: Natasha Archary
Hijackers target drivers late at night when vehicles are parked outside a property, as car owners enter or exit their gates.
This according to information from private security company Fidelity who have warned vehicle owners of this trend.
Over the past two months, there’s been an increase in hijackings between 05h00 to 12h00 and then late night from 21h00 until 05h00.
While hijackers are more prone to target vehicles that are parked at night, they are more likely to hijack drivers who are on the road in the early morning.
At night, criminals target victims at their homes, and often will follow a driver for a while before they make a move on their vehicle.
Most incidents are pre-planned, with hijackers noting their target’s daily travel routes, and habits.
Watching how long someone takes to open their gate, park their car, close their gate, are some of the factors hijackers take note of.
The cars that are high risk vehicles in terms of hijackings are mostly the Toyota Fortuner, Hilux and Corolla.
VW Polos and Nissan NP200 bakkies are also common targets for most criminals.
There’s a 54% risk of being hijacked whilst driving between 05h00 to 12h00, and a 75% risk of hijacking when a vehicle is parked at night from 21h00 to 05h00.
Data from Naked Insurance shows the times vehicles were more likely to be targeted, with the risks being higher during loadshedding.
Drivers are urged to exercise caution and be mindful of their surroundings at all times.
If a driver suspects a vehicle is following them, it is advised to drive past their home and head to a busy place, such as a garage, hospital or police station.
In November 2022, Pretoria West topped the list of hijacking hotspots in the country, with 77 vehicles hijacked between July and September last year.
