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• Kidnappings in South Africa have increased by 20% from 2019 to 2020.
• More than 30,000 kidnappings take place in a single year in South Africa.
• These listed tips could save your life when faced with kidnappers.
• For more motorsports stories, visit www.Wheels24.co.za
With more cars on the road, hijackers are seizing the opportunity by targeting unsuspecting drivers. Dialdirect has seen a significant increase in kidnappings and urges South Africans to be vigilant.
Unfortunately, kidnappings are a predominant part of our criminal history, with more than 30,000 motor vehicle hijackings, including trucks, taking place in a single year. Our claims data shows that kidnappings have increased by 20% from 2019 to 2020.
(Archives for Wheels24)
Deep analysis
Richard Brussow, director of the National Kidnapping Prevention Academy (NHPA), has been investigating kidnappings for 21 years and recently shared his findings from an in-depth analysis of kidnappings that took place between August 2019 and July 2020.
Some key findings from the report when it comes to kidnapping trends are:
• When: Kidnappings happen every day of the week, but peak on Fridays. More kidnappings occur starting at 12:00 noon, peaking between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Where: Kidnappers prefer places where vehicles are moving slowly or parked, ideally places where there are easy escape routes, and most kidnappings take place at residential driveways. Other critical points include road signs or intersections, the side of the road (when the driver stops to answer the phone, for example), schools, gas stations, parking areas, and places where passengers are picked up or dropped off.
READ: ‘I felt sorry for the victims, but had a job to do’ – Former kidnappers reveal everything
• How: Pistols and revolvers are primarily used, with a lower percentage of kidnappings involving high-caliber weapons, knives, and even bare hands. The modus operandi of hijackers generally includes the following methods:
– Boxing in: Choose places where victims cannot easily escape.
– Forced stop: Using vehicles to get the victim off the road. O Follow the leader: Follow victims from crowded public spaces to quieter places.
– Driving test: Posing as potential advertised vehicle buyers wanting a test drive.
– Blue light: Posing as police or traffic officers.
Have you ever been the victim of a kidnapping or attempted kidnapping? Send us an email and share your story.
(Youtube)
Tips to save lives
NHPA and Dialdirect provide the following tips to avoid becoming a victim:
1. Anywhere, anytime. And yes, it CAN happen to you. Statistics and hotspots aside, it is wise to always be alert, especially where your vehicle will move slowly or come to a complete stop. Avoid being distracted and pay close attention to your surroundings.
2. Back to basics: These are seemingly obvious safety practices that are often neglected: get to know your neighbors, keep your driveway clear of places where perpetrators might hide, and make sure it’s well lit. Remember to lock the doors when driving.
3. Roadmap: Plan your route carefully to avoid driving at unsafe times, through unsafe areas, or stopping / driving slower and thus becoming an easier target. Alternate your habits and routes to avoid being a predictable target.
4. Check the queue: If you suspect you’re being followed, make a couple of wrong turns. If someone is still following you, drive to the nearest police station.
5. Watch the door:
• Automatic door: If possible, stop along the way, parallel to your door, for an escape route. Once the door is fully open, turn and stop your vehicle right inside. Wait for it to close behind you before proceeding to park. You want to avoid being followed to your property, as a kidnapping could turn into a home burglary.
• Non-automatic door: Stop right in front of the door. Check if it is safe before you get out of your vehicle. Leave the key in the ignition and the engine running, open and close the door so that, in the event of an attack, the assailant does not have to approach you to take the vehicle. Move as fast as you can.
READ: ‘Kidnapped in my house, life will never be the same’ – reader
6. Stop being smart: Schedule your approach to traffic lights so that you do not have to come to a complete stop. When stopping behind a vehicle at a traffic light / stop sign, make sure the rear tires are touching the road surface. This will make it harder to be locked in and give you enough room to escape, if necessary. Also move quickly when picking up or dropping off passengers or goods.
7. Smash and grab: Keep your phone and other valuables out of sight. Thieves and kidnappers often “shop windows” before attacking. Avoid driving with your windows wide open.
8. Hit from behind: In case your vehicle receives a slight hit from behind, do not get out immediately. If the blow was not strong enough to damage your vehicle, and you feel there could be a threat, instruct the vehicle behind you to follow you to a safe place (gas station, police station) to exchange information.
9. Beware of fake police: If a vehicle with a blue light is following you and it is best to slow down, turn on your hazard lights and signal for them to follow you (your intentions must be very clear and understandable). Stop where you feel safe, for example, the nearest police station. Don’t drive home.
10. Car jam: Perpetrators use jamming devices to interfere with your vehicle’s locking system with the intention of stealing your valuables or worse. When exiting your vehicle, make sure the doors are closed before you drive away. When you return, close the doors as soon as you enter and do not trust that the vehicle will lock automatically.
These thieves had the nerve to kidnap a Gauteng family on their driveway (YouTube)
What to do if you are faced with a hijacker:
• Remember, first of all, that your life is worth more than your vehicle.
• Don’t speak too fast and don’t make sudden movements.
• Don’t lose your temper, threaten or challenge the abductor, and do exactly what he tells you.
• Don’t resist, especially if the abductor is armed. Drop off your vehicle and drive away. • Don’t look for your purse or valuables. Leave everything in the vehicle.
• Don’t make eye contact with the abductor. They may perceive this behavior as a threat.
• Raise your hands immediately to show that you have given up. Use your left hand to unlock the door and use the same hand to unbuckle the seat belt and put the car out of gear. With an automatic vehicle, simply pull the parking brake. When exiting your vehicle, turn your body to the side, lift your shoulders, and use your hands and arms to cover the head / neck area. Get away from the vehicle immediately. Keep your hands still and visible to the abductor, to assure you of your passive constent.
• If you have a child in the vehicle during an attack, you may want to move between the seats to retrieve your child, or if you are not comfortable doing so, you can get out of the vehicle and open the door behind you immediately. . Get into the vehicle with your leg and foot straight and bend over to retrieve your child.
• Gather as much information as possible without posing a threat, such as how many kidnappers are in the gang, what they wear, number and type of firearms, what language / accent they use, and where they are going.
READ: Kidnapping in SA: How thieves choose their victims, cars
Directly after a kidnapping:
• First call the SA Police Service at 10111. They will dispatch medical services if necessary.
• Activate the tracking device if the vehicle is equipped with one.
In closing, knowing how to reduce your chances of being abducted, and exactly how to react if so, could literally be the difference between life and death. Comprehensive vehicle insurance covers things that can be replaced, but being well prepared and vigilant goes a long way toward protecting the things that cannot.
Bianca de Beer is the spokesperson for Dialdirect.
