[imagesource: Alamy Stock Photo]

Crime statistics for 2020 look very different from prior years, due in part to the hard lockdown implemented in March last year, and subsequent lockdown alert levels.

Depending on the regulations in place, these have introduced curfews and limited movement on the streets.

More people working from home also amounts to a decline in traffic across South Africa.

Drawing on data from more than 1,1 million installed tracker systems, from July to December last year, Tracker’s recently released Vehicle Crime Index marked a 13% decrease in the number of vehicle crime incidents reported nationally compared to the same period in 2019.

Car theft decreased by 21%, while hijacking declined by only 5%, which means that hijacking remains one of the highest contributors to car-related crimes.

Here’s a breakdown:

Image: Tracker Vehicle Crime Index 2021

Most hijacking, as you can see from the infographic above, took place between Wednesday and Friday, from 4PM to 8PM.

The company also identified hijacking hotspots.

The provinces most affected remain similar to previous years. Gauteng leads the pack, with hijacking prevalent in Johannesburg. This is followed by KwaZulu-Natal with Durban in the top spot for hijackings. In the Western Cape, hijackings mainly occurred in Mitchells Plain.

Further hotspots include eMalahleni in Mpumalanga, Motherwell in the Eastern Cape, Rustenburg in the North West, Dennilton in Limpopo, and Bloemfontein in the Free State.

Recently, the SAPS also issued new hijacking hotspot warnings for Jozi, focusing on the Midrand area.

Those are:

• New Road
• R55 and Summit Road intersection
• R55 and Tambotie Road intersection
• Tambotie and Garden Road intersection
• Lever Road

While the vehicle crime rates are down, Ron Knott-Craig, Executive of Operational Services at Tracker South Africa, implored South Africans not to become complacent.

“While driving, be vigilant about your surroundings. Be alert and on the lookout for suspicious persons or vehicles. Avoid distractions such as talking on your mobile phone. Also, always try to park your vehicle in a properly secured parking area, and make sure the doors are properly locked before leaving it.”

Sound advice.

[source:tracker]