https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Hijackings, car theft show sharp increases, warns Cartrack

10th February 2017

By: Irma Venter

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

Statistics released this week by fleet management and stolen vehicle recovery company Cartrack show that carjacking and vehicle theft in South Africa are on the rise.

Theft within the base of vehicles protected by Cartrack increased by 31% in the ten months from March to December 2016, while hijackings jumped 32%.
 
Vehicle crime statistics from Crimestatssa.com also show a rapidly increasing number of carjackings, with Gauteng residents suffering almost 50% of the incidents that are reported nationally. 

This is followed by KwaZulu-Natal, with 17%, and the Western Cape, with 14%.

It is estimated that a large number of stolen vehicles are not reported to the authorities.
 
According to Cartrack’s data, on average, 45% more vehicle thefts occurs on a Saturday and Sunday than on any weekday. Most vehicles are stolen between 11:00 in the morning and 15:00 in the afternoon, presumably so as to avoid being caught in traffic while making the getaway.
 
With regards to hijackings, Cartrack’s data indicates that 38% more passenger vehicles are taken on weekends compared with the rest of the week.

Night time is also when drivers should be most alert, as 19:00 to 01:00 seems to be the busiest times for hijackers.
 
Stolen vehicles and hijackings seem to be the scourge of the Third World, notes Cartrack.

The demand for the product seems to be mainly concentrated in developing countries with high vehicle crime rates.

Cartrack has a presence in 24 countries spanning Africa, Europe, Asia and the US, yet stolen vehicle recovery as a standalone product is most in demand in South Africa and Mozambique, where vehicle theft remains a serious problem.

Vehicle theft is also an issue in certain Asian countries, though not at the same level as in Southern Africa.

The telematics technology typically applied in most countries outside of Southern Africa is aimed at providing fleet management solutions.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Latest News

City of Cape Town CFO Kevin Jacoby, Finance MMC Siseko Mbandezi, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and city manager Lungelo Mbandazayo
Cape Town tables R76.4bn budget; infrastructure spending at R12.1bn
Updated 1 hour 58 minutes ago By: Irma Venter

Showroom

Booyco Electronics
Booyco Electronics

Booyco Electronics, South African pioneer of Proximity Detection Systems, offers safety solutions for underground and surface mining, quarrying,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
John Deere (Pty) Ltd
John Deere (Pty) Ltd

In 1958 John Deere Construction made its first introduction to the industry with their model 64 bulldozer.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.099 0.16s - 158pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now