Hijackers in South Africa far prefer commercial vehicles such as courier vans over privately-owned cars as they often carry valuable goods and cash.
In Tracker’s latest vehicle crime index covering the period July to December 2023, the car-tracking firm noted that business-owned vehicles are 56% more likely to experience vehicle crime compared to personal vehicles.
“Tracker’s data indicates that at a national level, hijackings still dominate, accounting for 55% of all national vehicle crime incidents versus theft at 45%,” said the organisation.
“However, while the theft ratio for personal vehicles is slightly higher at 52%, a business-owned vehicle has a far higher hijacking propensity at 64%. This means that a business-owned vehicle is almost twice as likely to be hijacked than stolen.”
Fleet crime is on the rise in the country largely due to a surge in online shopping since the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, the South African online retail sector surpassed R50 billion, well over double its pre-Covid value, and continued growing through 2023.
“Regrettably, crime aimed at online deliveries proves highly lucrative, whether the objective is acquiring the delivered goods, seizing cash or devices carried by drivers, or commandeering the delivery vehicle,” said Tracker.
Approximately 81% of the hijacking incidents reported to Tracker saw the theft of fast-moving consumable goods including alcohol, clothing, groceries, couriered parcels through online sales platforms, homeware, and medication.
The company noted that the damages from heightened levels of commercial vehicle hijacking extend beyond immediate losses of the cargo value. It also disrupts supply chains, leading to delays in delivery schedules and increased costs for businesses.
Moreover, insurers may raise the premiums they charge for fleet vehicles which is a financial burden that could be lobbed onto consumers in the form of higher delivery fees.
“In addition to direct financial losses, fleet crime can also have broader implications for the economy. Reduced confidence in the safety and reliability of transportation networks may deter investment and economic growth, particularly in sectors reliant on efficient logistics operations,” said Tracker.
“Furthermore, the illicit proceeds from fleet crime may fuel other criminal activities, perpetuating a cycle of insecurity and instability in affected communities.”
Hijacking tactics
The hijacking of commercial vehicles is no longer carried out by syndicates alone as Tracker said that opportunistic thieves are increasingly partaking in the unlawful practice, oftentimes taking advantage of the darkness and lower security levels provided by load-shedding.
These criminals use various tactics such as “blue light gangs” who deceive victims with unmarked vehicles and impersonate law enforcement officers, as well as vehicle sabotage where key features are tampered with during a routine truck stop so that drivers pull over later to inspect warning signals.
Other popular modus operandi include broken-down car scams, forced stops, diversions, and driver collusion with criminals.
Certain Gauteng routes remain notorious hotspots for fleet vehicle crime, including the N3, N12, R23, and R21/R24 corridors.
To combat these criminals, businesses are implementing advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence-enabled dashcams that automatically alert control centres when they detect possible dangers, in-cab assist buttons for drivers, and vehicle and trailer tracking units.
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