GEORGE Snodey of the Community Crime Prevention Organisation Amanzimtoti (CCPO) has warned that while any car can be a target of a hijacking or theft, the Toyota Etios is the most stolen car in Amanzimtoti.
The VW Polo still leads nationally as the most stolen car, accounting for 8.6% of all reported car thefts, followed by the Toyota Hilux at 6.8%. In Amanzimtoti, the Etios remains the most stolen car while nationally, it is number three, constituting 4.8% of all cars stolen.
Also read: Hijackings on the rise in Amanzimtoti
“The guys that steal Etios’ take a few minutes to remove the tracker and throw it out the window. Within a short time of a vehicle being stolen, you are probably only going to get the tracking device back,” said Snodey.
It is worth noting that locally, the Etios is a popular car in the e-hailing taxi industry for its reliability and fuel efficacy. Snodey suggested motorists install a cut-out switch as it has proven to be the most effective measure to prevent theft.
According to the fourth quarter of 2022/2023 crime statistics, cases of reported hijackings in the country have increased by up to 30% since 2019. A total of 23 025 vehicles were stolen by the end of 2022.
In KwaZulu-Natal, around 10 cars are stolen each day.
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