How to avoid hijackings
"Keep your hands clearly visible and as still as possible, ideally at chest level”
WITH the recent increase of hijackings in the South of Johannesburg, residents are urged to be vigilant.
Many of these incidents occur when residents are followed home and hijacked in their driveways.
Denash Haripersaad, ADT Security’s community development manager, said in a release that the best way to avoid a hijacking is to know your environment and get to know who belongs in the vicinity of your home or workplace and who does not.
“Be constantly on the lookout for suspicious-looking characters or vehicles and do not hesitate to report them to the SAPS or your security provider. Always be on the alert for potential danger and trust your instinct, especially if you believe you are being followed,” he says.
To reduce the risk of hijackings, he offers the following tips to residents:
• Have your key ready, but not visible.
• Inspect your surroundings and vehicle before unlocking it.
• Know your destination and directions to it, and be alert should you get lost.
• Always drive with your windows and doors locked and/or closed.
• Avoid driving through high crime or unfamiliar areas.
• Change your routes on a regular basis.
“If you find yourself in a hijacking situation, always put the safety of you and your passengers first, no matter how outraged you may feel at the time. Do nothing that is going to alarm the hijackers. Never initiate any movement yourself. This may give the hijacker the impression that you are reaching for a gun or panic button. Remember – the hijackers will be as nervous, if not more so, than you. Keep your hands clearly visible and as still as possible, ideally at chest level,” said Haripersaad.
In case you missed it:
ADT’s safety tips: driveway robbery
SAFETY TIP: Seven ways to prevent hijacking
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