A number of shopping centres and businesses in Joburg have implemented various strategies to prevent car-jamming.
Most centres have gone the extra mile by beefing up their security, putting up warning signs and installing remote jamming alarms.
However, police and concerned centre managers are still relying on patrons to be extra vigilant when using parking lots.
Due to the ups and downs of car-jamming incidents, Northcliff Corner Shopping Centre management officer Donniki Goigians said they have put in extra security and a special guard to conduct patrols around the centre to make sure that all cars are safe.
Jackson Modiba, a caretaker at Palm Court Shopping Complex in Weltevreden Park, said they rely a lot on contracted security personnel and car guards. “Security is our main eye in this centre. We also have car guards who work hand in hand with the security officers to tighten up our security,” he said.
Honeydew police spokesperson Captain Balan Muthan recently made an appeal to centres in the vicinity, especially Honeydew Shopping Centre, to beef up their security following a few remote jamming complaints reported at the station.
“Recently we had four cases of theft out of motor vehicle coming from the Honeydew Shopping Centre, and we are appealing to the centre to beef up their security for the safety of their patrons,” said Muthan.
Hermanus Wessels from the Honeydew Shopping Centre management team confirmed that the centre was aware of incidents related to remote jamming, and had put up warning signs to create awareness.
Wessels added that they have park attendants and security guards who are aware of the incidents. “[We have] remote jamming alarms installed at the centre which triggers a siren in the event that a remote is pressed continuously. [Also], our car park attendants and security guards are acutely aware of the risk and they remain vigilant.
“Despite these measures, remote jamming can unfortunately still occur if patrons are not aware and vigilant in ensuring that their vehicles are, in fact, locked before leaving their vehicles.”
A manager at a BP petrol station in Weltevreden Park who had one of his customer’s fall victim to remote jamming indicated that jammers come in with very fancy cars. And also believes that the jammers have devices to detect whether a car has valuables or not. “I think they have some kind of device to detect the valuables and then they follow the car until its resting point.”
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Although businesses are doing their utmost to prevent these incidents, Spokesperson for Linden Police Station Captain Walter Spencer, advised motorists to be cautious and responsible.
Spencer appealed to motorists to put their valuable items away and also to spend at least a few seconds next to their car making sure that it is locked before entering a shopping centre.
“The best way to prevent losses is to put your valuable items away where they are not visible. Also don’t walk away after locking your car, make sure everything is operational because even if your valuables are stored in the boot, the jammers are able to jam the car and access the back door,” Spencer warned.
Spencer added that they’ve made arrests and have seen footage of how these criminals operate.
“These suspects rent cars and change number plates when committing the crime. They are all over Joburg and are capable of jamming at least five cars a day and are able to make R25 000 a month in stolen valuables.”
