Warrant officer Balan Muthan, spokesperson for Douglasdale Police Station, has warned residents not to believe everything they see on social media platforms.
This follows a hijacking hot-list which recently made the rounds on social media platform, Facebook.
Muthan said, “Although Facebook is a great source of information, it is also a breeding ground for spreading false information.”
He explained that while there were no specific hijacking hotspots in Fourways, there were many cases of hijackings which had occurred in driveways and secure complexes.
He urged residents to constantly be vigilant and drive to their nearest police station or contact their security providers if they felt they were being followed.
Budget Insurance offered the following practical tips:
- Plan your route by using a GPS to avoid getting lost and becoming an easy target. Inform a person at your next destination about your estimated time of arrival.
- Stay alert, always remain aware of your surroundings and look out for anything suspicious.
- Be confident and focused by limiting distractions such as checking or talking on your cellphone when walking to or from your car.
- Always lock your car and avoid driving with your windows open. Keep the doors locked and lock valuables out of sight. Install smash-and-grab window protection if possible.
- Vary the routes you take to make it less predictable for criminals.
- Check your mirror, if you suspect you are being followed, make a couple of false turns. If someone is still following you, drive to the nearest police station for assistance.
Read more:
Douglasdale CPF chair shares steps to follow in a hijacking
Generations star’s accident near Diepsloot was a possible hijacking
