Security and insurance experts have noted an increase in hijackings over the past two months and have revealed what kinds of vehicles are being targeted as well as the times of day when it is most likely that your car will be stolen or hijacked.
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CEO of the Fidelity Services Group, Wahl Bartmann, confirmed to BusinessTech that there had been an increase in the number of hijackings reported between March and April 2023 within the Fidelity footprint.
According to Bartmann, home invasions have been the most common hijacking strategy in recent months. He claimed that victims who leave or enter the gates of a house while parked outside are particularly vulnerable.
‘Some incidents are pre-planned, and before the hijacking, some perpetrators follow victims to identify the victims’ homes and travel habits,’ he added.
According to Fidelity, vehicles under the Toyota, VW, Ford, and Nissan brands continue to be common targets among criminals, and the specific models include Toyota Hilux, Fortuner, and Corollas; VW Polos and Nissan NP200s.
Reports from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) claim that these vehicles are frequently among the most popular in South Africa, and the demand for these parts is one factor in their popularity among hijackers.
‘In a time of disrupted supply chains – due to factors such as load shedding, the impact of floods and lockdowns in different parts of the world – parts availability impacts which vehicles are more popular among thieves,’ said Naked Insurance Co-founder Ernest North.
He added that ‘when there is high demand and low supply of parts for a particular model, thieves are likelier to target it’.
Speaking about current hijacking trends, North disclosed that Naked’s data can indicate the time of day when your car is most likely to be stolen or hijacked based on claims made.
According to the data, hijackings account for 54% of vehicle thefts between 5am and noon, while 47% of thefts occur from lunch to 9pm and 25% occur between 9pm and 5am..
Another intriguing finding is that your car is more likely to be stolen while you are driving in the morning than if it were parked. Once parked at night, this trend increases to a 75% likelihood.
Staying vigilant is probably the most important tip, according to North and Bartmann, given the country’s continued high rate of hijackings.
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