Watch out for car jammers
ROSEBANK – Motorists have been urged to exercise extreme caution with their vehicles as car jamming is on the rise.
In week ending 28 February, The Rosebank Killarney Gazette reported on a remote jamming incident in Rosebank, where a laptop was stolen from the vehicle.
Rosebank police spokesperson Sergeant Bongi Mdletshe issued safety tips to motorists and encouraged them to be constantly vigilant.
- Make sure no valuables are visible
“Ensure that no valuable items are visible through the window, as they attract criminals.”
- Don’t place your valuables in your boot while people are watching
“Rather place your valuable items in the boot while you are still at home, because criminals could be watching if you do it at a public place.”
- Make sure your car is properly locked
“After clicking the remote to lock, test your door by trying to open it after you’ve locked it.”
- Park in public places
“Make sure your car is parked at a place where other people can see if someone tries to open it.”
Remote jamming is a common phenomenon throughout the country. Thieves monitor motorists in parking lots and as a motorist presses the lock button on their remote control to lock their car, the thieves press their own remotes which operate on the same frequency. The signal gets jammed as a result which prevents the car from being locked.
Despite widespread media coverage on the issue, it is on the rise. Many insurance companies don’t cover theft out of a motor vehicle if there are no visible signs of forced entry, which is the case with remote jammers.
