Familiarize yourself with Fidelity Services tips to avoid being a target of crime
Vigilance pays off when you’re on the road, it helps you avoid potholes and hijackings.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/CharnelHattingh20_34656-e1726054851917-433x470.jpg)
The last thought on your mind while driving your new ‘baby’ off the showroom floor is that you could have a gun in your face and be robbed of your spanking-new car in an instant.
Hijacking remains rife in South Africa and, as a motorist, you may not realise your new car is a favourite among hijacking syndicates and highly sought after on the black market.
Read more: Two suspects arrested in possession of a hijacked vehicle in Parktown
Charnel Hattingh, Fidelity Services Group head of marketing and communications, explained that motorists had a hard time on roads because if they were not dodging potholes, they were dodging hijackers.
“Hijackers are brazen, however, we all have a role to play in avoiding falling victim. Your car theft prevention systems are a backup to your vigilance.”
She added that victims of crime are often heard saying: ‘they came out of nowhere’. No, they didn’t. They were in that blue car you drove past as you pulled into your driveway, or the guy with the gun was sitting on the sidewalk and you barely noticed him.
“Vigilance is our best defense when driving, parking, or leaving and arriving home. This means be aware of your surroundings, turn the radio down, cut any call you may be on, and focus on the immediate environment.”
Also read: 19 suspects arrested in hijacked building in Highlands North
Hattingh listed six things that make you vulnerable to hijackers or vehicle theft:
• Being unobservant and preoccupied when pulling into your street or driveway. Is there a strange car or person nearby? Are you too busy talking on your cellphone to notice?
• Boxing yourself in by pulling up right to the gate and waiting for it to open. You have nowhere to go if another car blocks you from behind.
• Not noticing you are being followed. This could be from the bank, from an appointment, or from the office. The best way to determine if you are being followed is to take a few turns and see if the car follows. If you need to, go to the nearest police station or petrol station and call for help.
• Following the same routine day in and day out. Hijackers rely on your routine to execute their plans. If you do things to the minute every day, they’ll know exactly when you are at your most vulnerable.
• Not checking your car is locked before walking away. Remote jamming is rife and it can happen to you anywhere. Always check your doors before walking away and look around for suspicious people sitting in a car nearby.
• Not having any vehicle protection devices fitted.
She noted that avoiding falling victim to hijacking is not about the car you drive but about being alert and aware of your surroundings.
“It is important to know how to respond if you are hijacked, especially if you have children in the car. The main thing is to remain calm and let them take the vehicle. You can replace your car, you can’t replace a life.”
Follow us on our Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok pages. Join our WhatsApp group for any story ideas you may have.
Related article: Hijacked residential properties home owners beware during holidays