Hijackers shift focus to bright-coloured vehicles
There is a growing demand for vehicles in non-traditional colours like orange and yellow.
Security firms and insurers raised concerns about a surge in hijackings in the first half of the year, with bold or unusual car colours no longer serving as a deterrent.
Fidelity ADT reported a noticeable rise in hijackings within their operational areas during the first half of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023 and the latter half of that year.
Nearly half of these incidents concentrate on Gauteng, with the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal each accounting for around 14%.
Car theft is often linked to the demand-and-supply dynamics of the black market, where specific vehicles are targeted for particular purposes.
From Fidelity’s findings, the most hijacked vehicles in South Africa include:
• White Nissan Almera
• White VW Polo
• White Toyota Hi-Ace
• White Nissan NP200
• Grey, blue, or white Toyota Corolla
Historically, white and silver vehicles were the primary targets, aligning with black market trends that mirrored mainstream preferences.
However, there is a growing demand for vehicles in non-traditional colours like orange and yellow, which are increasingly targeted.
Hijackers once avoided bright-coloured cars because their visibility made them harder to hide from tracking companies and law enforcement. However, this trend has shifted because of changes in criminal behaviour.
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