Hijackers in South Africa used to target vehicles with muted tones such as white and silver to avoid detection, however, they have recently started to shift behaviours by going after more colourful cars.
This follows a rise in car component theft in the country to meet rampant demand for parts on the black market.
Tastes evolve
South Africa is facing a scourge of crime at the moment that has seen vehicle theft in the country reach levels of as much as 65 hijackings per day.
Much of this is driven by supply and demand. The black market for cars and car parts in the country is massive, supplying a lucrative revenue stream for unscrupulous individuals.
Traditionally, hijackers targeted muted colours like white and silver as these were the most prevalent colours chosen by vehicle buyers. Hence, owners of these cars looking for cheap parts required ones in a matching colour.
Additionally, understated colours allow criminals to blend in better if they use a stolen car to carry out other crimes.
Security company Fidelity Services Group revealed to BusinessTech that the top five vehicles targeted by hijackers comprise:
- White VW Polo
- White Nissan Almera
- White Toyota Hi-Ace
- White Nissan NP200
- Grey/blue/white Toyota Corolla
However, with new-vehicle stock being limited over the past few years many buyers had to settle for colours they didn’t particularly want as it meant they could skip the lines and buy a new ride right then and there.
Additionally, younger audiences are increasingly entering the market and, with cars being a notable status symbol in South Africa, they are looking for a unique set of wheels to differentiate themselves from their peers, with a wacky shade of paint being one of the easiest ways to achieve this.
Consequently, Fidelity has noted an increase in vehicles finished in non-traditional colours being targeted by thieves and hijackers in an effort to service their more flamboyant new customers.
The security company highlighted that orange and yellow are among the most stolen hues after the more standard colours.
These vehicles aren’t necessarily stolen for their value or their capabilities, but rather for their parts.
Car-tracking company Cartrack recently noted that the theft of vehicle components has become more prevalent than theft of entire vehicles.
There is a high demand for readily available and affordable parts across South Africa, and criminals see the theft of individual items as a safer way to make money as it is much harder for the authorities to trace separate components instead of whole cars.
They will target a model in a public location and pull off whatever components they can get their hands on as quickly as possible.
If the risk is too big, they will steal the car and take it back to a chop shop to get stripped before the parts are distributed to their customers, which range from international clients to shady mechanics to local car owners simply looking for a cheap replacement part.
Certain items are also targeted because they are unique to specific models and can be expensive or time-consuming to replace by going through the manufacturer.
The most stolen car components in the country, as provided by Cartrack and MiWay insurance, comprise:
- Tyres
- Airbags
- Batteries
- Tailgates
- Headlights
- Wheel caps
- Wheel rims
- Side mirrors
- Wiper blades
- Sound equipment
Thieves have demonstrated they are capable of removing all four wheels in under five minutes, disconnecting the airbags and tailgate in less than two minutes, and lifting the battery in a single minute.
It is also a profitable business. Cartrack estimates that a second-hand bakkie tailgate sells from around R2,500 and up on the illicit market.
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