Hijacking and other vehicle crimes impact South Africans a lot more than realised. It's not just about losing a vehicle and going through a traumatic experience.
It has a huge financial impact and it's most certainly not a random act. Criminals do thorough investigations of their victims routines and whereabouts before their strike.
In the latest Crime Stats survey, Pro-active SA's Ryno Schutte told Wheels24 that most people do not report these crimes because nothing can really be done about it, and it was also found that most people take incidents into their own hands instead of calling the police.
Schutte takes a look at why vehicles are stolen and how victims are chosen.
Schutte says: "It was disheartening to see the response in the 2017 victims of crime survey which was conducted. Many victims from all walks of life indicated that they don’t report crime as nothing will be done about it.
"In fact something can only be done about it if the SAPS have been made aware of the crime. The size of the crime does not matter"
Cost of vehicle crime in SA
Schutte says billions are lost per annum due to crime and Billions are made due to crime at the expense of the victims. Incidents happen daily and an estimate of R45-billion is spent on personal security per year. This equates to an estimate R790 per individual spent per year on private security which includes every walk of life and age. The previous totals exclude the R44-billion spent by government on “Police Services”.
The value of vehicle crime nationally is estimated at R9-billion per year which is close to a fifth of the "Police Services" budget and / or a fifth of the expenditure for personal security.
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Why cars stolen in SA: list by ProActive
1 When a vehicle is stolen or hijacked it is either used to commit another crime or to be exported into African countries.
2 There is a need for vehicles who drive on the same side of the road than us, which creates a market.
3 There are also spares required which is also a different market.
4 Driving a vehicle is also deemed as a status symbol which contribute to the 36% of vehicles being filtered back into the South African Market.
5 An increase in hijackings are due to the advancement of technology where a coded key or FOB is needed to operate a vehicle.
6 Hotwiring a vehicle is becoming more difficult. The increase in vehicle jamming devices also makes tracking vehicles more difficult. There has also been a huge increase in remote jamming which contributes to Theft out of Motor Vehicle within the community.
If an estimate loss of R50 000 in a theft from residential premises, then the loss can be estimated at R12.3-billion and robbery residential will contribute to R1.11-billion. Theft out of motor vehicle can be estimated at R10 000 per incident which further contribute to R1.38-billion and burglary at non residential premises R3.78-billion. This excludes cash in transit heists which we have seen a huge increase over the past few months leading up to the festive season.
Common denominator
One common denominator can be found in these property crimes and they are vehicles which are used in most of the incidents.
Pro-active SA says: "We are of the opinion by focusing on vehicles and vehicle crime this will contribute to lowering of most forms of property crime which is in the best interest of the community and assisting Law Enforcement entities nationally.
"The combat will include sharing of viable intelligence minutes after the incident occurred as well as making the information available by use of technology like License Plate Recognition Technology. Cloned plates, stolen vehicles and hijacked vehicles can be used days, weeks and even months after they have been acquired."
How victims are chosen
1 Victims are chosen carefully prior to the crime being committed with extra care being taken by the criminals to target victims who will provide the least resistance to an attack.
2 Routines are also monitored closely as humans are creatures of habit and thrive on structure. An example of this will be leaving at the same time every morning for work and returning from home at the same time.
3 Information being shared within the crime community also plays a huge factor.
Our community is in urgent need of standing together as nothing will change until a community comes together for the greater good. We need committed citizens to change the world and it starts with you and me supporting the local police services and security personnel.
As mentioned they can only react or respond if we provide law officials or community watch groups with the intelligence and information to do so. It is in the best interest of you, your family and your immediate community.
