Tips against driveway hijackings
“Victims often say the criminals came out of nowhere.”
Armed robberies and hijackings in driveways remain at an unbearable high in many areas.
The security firm ADT said this week motorists needed to equip themselves and not fall victim to these attacks.
ADT general manager Theunis Kotze advised motorists to take precautions.
Kotze said the risk of being attacked by criminals in your driveway was far higher if motorists did not know what to look out for.
Motorists could do a number of things to gain the upper-hand against criminals.
Pulling into the driveway:
When you arrive at home, do not pull into your driveway. Stay in the street while you wait for the gate to open so that you can see what is happening. This leaves you an option to drive off should a suspicious vehicle or person approach you.
Leaving the bank:
Avoid carrying large sums of cash. Criminals prey on people after watching them for lengthy periods. Most criminals follow motorists from a bank after a large cash withdrawal.
Leaving the shopping centre:
Some shoppers get followed home after leaving the retail centre. If you think you are being followed, drive to the nearest police station.
Intersections after dark or early mornings:
These remain the highest hotspots for most smash and grabbers. Be very vigilant, especially when driving with valuables in the car. Keep all valuables out of sight.
Kotze said it was important for motorists to always be alert.
“Victims often say the criminals came out of nowhere.”
He said hijackers relied on the element of surprise and if a motorist remained alert, they could easily surprise any attacker by driving off.
Kotze said everyone needed to be sensible when wearing expensive or flashy jewellery in public as this could easily catch the eye of the robber.
Also read:
Do not be a victim of cash robberies
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