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Business-owned vehicles are eight times more likely to be hijacked in the Eastern Cape, according to vehicle crime statistics for July to December 2024 released on Monday by Tracker.
According to the firm, its vehicle crime figures for that period reveal that hijackings comprise 56% of all vehicle crime incidents, while theft accounted for 44%.
“However, hijacking becomes more pronounced when evaluating business-owned vehicles and specific provinces in South Africa.
“The Tracker Vehicle Crime Index aggregates information from Tracker’s more than 1.1 million subscriptions,” said CEO, Duma Ngcobo.
Tracker said their data indicates that country-wide business-owned vehicles are twice as likely to be hijacked than stolen, with just over half of these vehicles hijacked in Gauteng.
“In the Western Cape, business-owned vehicles are four times more likely to be hijacked than stolen, and this rises to eight times in the Eastern Cape.
“In all regions, business-owned vehicle crime is skewed toward hijacking,” the company said.
According to their statement, there is an equal split in hijackings and theft for personal vehicles countrywide.
“However, in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the two regions that account for most of the total vehicle crime, more personal vehicles are stolen than hijacked, at 52% and 61% respectively.
“In contrast, a personal vehicle is twice as likely to be hijacked than stolen in the Western Cape, rising to four times more likely in the Eastern Cape".
According to Tracker, countrywide, the likelihood of vehicle crime being a hijacking rather than a theft is 33% higher for business-owned vehicles compared to personal vehicles.
Business-owned vehicles are also 56% more likely to experience vehicle crime compared to personal vehicles.
“Business-owned vehicles range from cargo trucks with trailers to courier vehicles delivering items ordered online.
“Crime targeting these vehicles proves highly lucrative, with criminals acquiring the vehicle, the goods being transported and the driver’s personal belongings, e.g. mobile phone.
“These crimes often happen opportunistically when the vehicle is stopped along its route, for example at a truck stop or in a driveway during a delivery,” it said.
Tracker said according to its data, more vehicles are reported hijacked on Fridays, and between the hours of 4pm and 9pm, with theft is mainly reported on Saturdays, and between the hours of 4pm and 9pm.
“Hijacking, while terrifying to the victim, can be a highly efficient crime for perpetrators, which has led to its rising occurrence.
“As vehicle owners become more aware of early warning tools and free tracking apps, it is becoming increasingly difficult for criminals to steal a vehicle without detection.
A hijacking, however, allows criminals immediate access to the vehicle and its contents, without needing to override tracking technology,” Ngcobo said.
He also said businesses, in particular, can implement technologies to help mitigate this crime, saying AI-powered fleet dashcams with facial recognition, 360-degree cameras, safe zone management, cargo doors sensors, and a driver assist button for emergencies can alert fleet managers to take immediate action.
“Businesses can also subscribe their drivers to rapid emergency armed response services,” he added.
