Wentworth faces alarming rise in vehicle hijackings
Police urge motorists to be vigilant and ensure vehicles are securely locked and parked in a safe place.
POLICE in Wentworth have sent a stern warning to the public to be vigilant as car hijackings are on the rise again. Cases of theft of motor vehicles and hijackings have been reported in Wentworth and Merebank for the past three months.
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According to the Wentworth police, most of these incidents happened in parking areas outside homes and driveways. Police spokesperson in Wentworth, Captain Mbuso Gumede, said the police have been inundated with calls from residents frantically reporting either car hijacking incidents or theft of motor vehicles. Most of these crimes happened around midnight to 04:00.
“Parking of vehicles outside premises and leaving vehicles unattended is a concern to the police. Suspects are always aware that certain vehicles always park outside the yard and on pavements and use the opportunity to steal it,” warned Gumede.
Residents are therefore urged to refrain from parking vehicles outside the premises the whole night. “If there is no space to park inside, ensure that your alarm system is functioning so that it will be activated immediately,” said Gumede.
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Gumede said cases of carjacking were also reported at the beginning of March. “Vehicles are hijacked from intersections, and this is happening during the morning and late in the afternoon. Drivers are urged to exercise precautions when driving or approaching intersections or four-way stops. Look around, should you suspect something, drive safely to the nearest police station or any other safe place. These crimes are sporadic and can occur anywhere,” he said.
Gumede called on the public to work with the police in the fight against crime. Residents are also encouraged to join community crime fighting units in a bid to restore law and order.
The recent quarterly crime statistics for the 2023/ 2024 financial year, revealed that 1 624 cases of theft of motor vehicles were reported in KwaZulu-Natal from July to September 2023 while carjacking increased to 138.
To report crime, call the Crime stop number on 086 001 0111 or Wentworth SAPS on 031 451 6240, 031 451 6241 or 031 451 6242.
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