Dodgy dealings of remote jammers

REMOTE jamming is by no means a new crime trend and shows no imminent signs of letting up anytime soon.
For those who have not heard of the remote jamming craze, which is popular among criminals, due to the apparent lack of effort required to help themselves to your belongings, it is a way of gaining access to vehicles with remote locking systems by using another remote, most likely a household remote, which operates on the same frequency.
For victims of this crime, it is not only the inconvenience of having your belongings stolen, or perhaps even your car, but also the added predicament that this bothersome modus operandi leaves no sign of forced entry, which means that most insurance companies will be unwilling to pay out in the instance of such a claim.
Audacious thieves lay in wait for motorists to park their vehicles in busy shopping centres and parking lots, or even at home.
Most vehicles operate on an automatic locking system by remote, which is convenient for the owner of the vehicle, but also convenient for the opportunistic criminal, who only has to push a button on a separate remote at the same time, intercepting the signal from the vehicle remote, subsequently resulting in jamming the locking process, leaving the vehicle unprotected against theft or burglary.
Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch, a community organisation, persistent in the ongoing fight against crime, offers some useful tips to consider, in an effort to avoid being a victim of this kind of crime, especially during the upcoming festive season, when shopping centres are at their busiest and the average person’s mind is inundated with distractions about Christmas shopping.
– Do not leave valuables in an unattended vehicle, especially not where they are visible to passing crooks.
– Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times, especially when parking your vehicle in shopping centre parking lots.
– Take note of any suspicious activity or persons in the area and report any dubious characters or occurrences to centre management or security personnel. Alternatively, alert Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch by contacting them on their emergency number, 087 808 3508.
– ALWAYS double check that your vehicle is, in fact, locked, by testing the doors and the boot before walking away.
Colonel Bhekizitha Zwane from SAPS Vryheid warned that motorists should be vigilant with regards to safety, especially since crime appears to escalate during the festive period.
According to Col Zwane theft of motor vehicles and theft out of motor vehicles is very common in the area.
He mentioned that criminals appeared to be targeting 4×4’s and SUV’s.

In the last two weeks, police received two reports of dogs being poisoned by thieves in order to gain access to 4×4’s parked at residents’ homes. There was also a complaint of a 4×4 being stolen from the Shoprite parking lot.
“Check that your vehicle is locked before leaving it unattended and make sure that all your valuables are locked away out of sight,” advised Col Zwane.
House and business burglaries are also a problem in Vryheid. In many cases, garden implements left outside are being used to gain access to the premises being robbed.
Col Zwane concluded by urging residents to do reference checks before employing the help of a domestic helper or gardener and to make sure to take a photo of the employee and request a copy of his or her ID document.
“In many cases, we find that the domestic helper or gardener was involved in the crime, so make sure you know who you are hiring. Having a photo and ID documents on hand will make it easier for us to find them if they are involved in a crime,” he said.

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