Hijackings remain a headache

Car thieves and hijackers in Soshanguve are giving police a tough time.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Lolo Mangena admitted this week that police found it difficult to recover stolen cars, including those fitted with tracking devices.

He said criminals were getting smarter and knew where to find the tracking devices and how to remove them.

Mangena advised motorists to always be cautious when driving around Soshanguve, especially around Blocks AA, HH, BB and DD.

“If you are driving home and you know that you have to get out of the car to open a gate, phone someone who is at home to open the gate for you.”

He said Rietgat police were investigating numerous cases of car theft and hijacking.

Most of the hijackings occurred in the driveways.

“If you find strangers waiting outside your house or in your drive in, do not stop. Contact the police and notify them about what is happening,” he said.

Mangena said having a tracking device did not mean you had to be negligent.

“If you think any car fitted with a tracking device has a guarantee of being found and returned to the owner in a day or two after being stolen, you are wrong.”

Mangena appealed to people who may have information about car theft syndicates to help police catch them.

“After removing the (tracking) device, they throw it in a different direction from where they are taking the car, to throw the police off track,” he said.

“Some tracking devices are found beeping in the woods or inside an innocent person’s yard.”

He said police found it difficult to locate stolen cars partly because owners often failed to report the theft immediately, giving criminals time to strip the vehicles.

Mangena said police had embarked on a crime prevention operation targeting panel beating businesses.

“Every now and then we have unannounced operations where we target panel beating outfits.”

A number of people had already been arrested in connection with cases of car theft, possession of stolen car parts such as engines and gearboxes.

It was believed that those arrested impersonated officers during the hijackings.

The operation included members of the public order, visible policing, crime intelligence, detective, and vehicle investigation services.

Some of the panel beaters the police visited operated as established businesses, while others were based at home.

“We want to send out a warning to chop-shop owners that this is the first operation of its kind, but it certainly won’t be the last.”

“We want these people to know that we are monitoring them closely,” he said.