Criminals look for these eight items in your car
The South African Police Service revealed that "66 cars are stolen daily, a 6.5% rise from the previous year".
We hate to put a damper on things, but being armed with information is essential today.
This is especially true when it comes to protecting yourself against crime.
Hijackings and car thefts have significantly increased since 2023, and the South African Police Service's latest report revealed that 66 cars are being stolen daily.
Certain cars are being targeted for specific car parts that are in demand on the black market.
Cartrack revealed that car parts or components were being targeted more than entire vehicles. "The index is based on data collected from Tracker’s over 1.1 million subscriptions. Nationally, hijackings accounted for 55% of all vehicle crime incidents, while theft accounted for 45%." (Business Tech)
This is because there is a demand for affordable car parts on the black market. Car parts are also more challenging to track than whole vehicles.
The eight items criminals seek include airbags, tailgates, batteries, tyres, wheel caps, vehicle mirrors, sound equipment, and headlights.
Security companies have noted that the vehicles targeted in hijackings are linked to the theft of the same car parts.
"This means the targeted brand and model align with those on the country’s road the most, as the demand for the vehicle also raises the demand for its parts. According to Lightstone’s data on monthly car sales, in partnership with Naamsa, Toyota and VW often rank as the country's first and second best-selling car brands, including their models." (Business Tech)
These crime trends have gotten the attention of car manufacturers like Toyota and Volkswagen who are working on solutions to combat the problem.
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