These are the cars targeted by thieves

SUVs, double cab bakkies and 4x4s are the most commonly stolen vehicles in KwaZulu-Natal, according to local car tracking and security companies.

Cartrack South Africa CEO, Harry Louw, said he believed Ballito, Salt Rock and KwaDukuza were not high-risk areas for car theft, but that Durban CBD was the place to watch your car closely.

Cartrack’s operations over December 2018 showed that an average of 18 stolen and hijacked vehicles was recovered by Cartrack per day nationally, evenly split between hijackings and thefts.

The highest number of hijackings were recorded in Durban and surrounding areas, while most car thefts took place in the city of Tshwane.

The statistics also revealed that more than half of the reported hijacking cases involved passenger vehicles (seating up to nine people), followed by minibus taxis.

Car thieves targeted passenger vehicles the most, followed by SUVs and double cab bakkies.

Tracker communications manager Nandi Canning said she could not disclose the exact make and model of the most stolen cars, but confirmed that the most sought-after vehicles were high-end SUVs and one-ton bakkies.

“We have noticed a movement towards the most popular makes and models of vehicles being hijacked,” said Canning.
IPSS Electronic Security CEO Frank Labidi agreed that bakkies followed by SUVs were commonly targeted by criminals.

“In Ballito car theft is not a big issue at all compared to the rest of SA and taking into consideration car to population ratio. Theft of motor vehicle was much higher 20 years ago. Keep in mind that the neighbourhood watches have put up cameras with SNIPR software and IPSS Security has done the same in addition with over 60 public cameras (a cost of by now over 1 million rand at no cost to the community) throughout the North Coast, which plays a huge role in crime prevention due to being pro-active,” said Labidi.

Speaking to the Courier last December, BNW chairperson Gary Frances said the cameras have helped solve at least one case a month since they were installed in November 2018.

Marshall Security spokesperson Kyle van Reenen said that while the majority of stolen cars were coming out of Durban, he believed car theft remained a concern on the North Coast.

“Most of the time it’s hijacking more than theft. The SUV, double cap bakkies and 4×4 are the commonly stolen vehicles,” said Van Reenen.

Nine ways to keep safe while driving

1. Always keep your car doors locked and your windows closed while driving.

2. Park in well-lit areas, preferably with parking booms or guards on duty.

3. Make sure that all valuables are safely locked away and not visible.

4. If someone walks up to your motor vehicle, don’t open your window; if they appear suspicious, rather drive away safely.

5. When approaching a red traffic light, slow down so that you only reach it when the light turns green, especially at night.

6. When stopping behind a vehicle, leave half a vehicle length in front so you can escape in an emergency.

7. Avoid driving in unfamiliar areas late at night and in the early hours of the morning when the roads are quiet.

8. Always check your rear-view mirror to see if you are being followed. If you suspect that you are being followed, drive to your nearest police station or a safe public area.

9. If you are hijacked, do not resist or challenge the hijacker. Do exactly as you are told, surrender your vehicle and move away as quickly as possible.

Download The North Coast Courier mobile app, now available free from the Apple iStore and on Google Play, for IOS and Android phones.