Theft out of motor vehicles is an ongoing, and ever-increasing, problem in the busy Cape Town Central City, especially at night when crafty criminals are on the lookout for any opportunity to fleece people of their possessions. Here is how you can avoid being the next victim.
According to the Cape Town Central City Improvement District’s (CCID) Safety & Security manager, Muneeb “Mo” Hendricks, theft out of motor vehicles is one of the problematic crimes in the CBD. This is due, in part, to the large number of cars that enter the Central City during the day and at night.
And in tough economic times, there is an increased chance that criminals are on the look-out for any opportunity to capitalise on the negligence of motorists, says Mo.
He urges people not to leave valuables in their vehicles, where they are clearly visible. “People leave valuable items such as laptops, cell phones, bags and sometimes even cash visible for long periods inside vehicles, creating a huge temptation for people who have nothing. In some cases, people also don’t double-check that their cars are locked and then become victims of remote jamming.”
A BIG PROBLEM IN CAPE TOWN
Cape Town, not only the CBD, leads the way in the country when it comes to theft out of motor vehicles, Mo says.
In terms of crime stats released in 2018 by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Cape Town Central Police Station topped the list with 3 956 reported cases of theft out of motor vehicles.
Mo says it is important to note that the city’s CBD is a special case. “If, for example, you compare the number of cars entering the Cape Town CBD to the number of cars entering a small town like Vredenburg, the volume difference could be in the thousands. In the same vein, Cape Town tops the list of the most arrests made for theft out of motor vehicles and most cases to court for this crime category which indicates that a concerted effort is being made to curb this crime.”
To fight theft out of motor vehicles, the CCID Safety & Security department along with its primary safety partners, the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement agency and SAPS conduct the following preventative measures:
- Stop-and-search operations in so-called “hot spot” areas looking for car break-in implements;
- Awareness campaigns targeting and educating motorists when they park;
- Deployment of visible members in areas where this crime has been reported;
- Undercover operations targeting suspected criminal syndicates.
In recent months alone, the CCID’s public safety officers (PSOs) that patrol the CBD 24/7 on foot and in vehicles have foiled numerous remote jamming incidents and theft out of motor vehicle attempts. This includes the brazen hijacking attempt in broad daylight of a delivery truck in Longmarket Street on 10 April. The suspects caught the attention of a patrolling CCID officer when they allegedly struggled to operate the truck. The officer alerted the CCID response team, averting disaster.
Commenting on the incident at the time Mo said: “Due to the diligence and alertness of the patrolling CCID public safety officer and the quick reaction by the CCID response team, a serious crime and a potential public disaster was averted.”
HOW NOT TO BECOME A VICTIM
There are practical things you can do to avoid becoming yet another statistic when it comes to this kind of crime:
- Don’t leave valuables visible in your car’s cabin.
- Make sure your doors are locked by physically testing the handle after you have locked your car.
- Look around for suspicious people who might be watching cars and report it to the authorities.
- Plan your trip and know where you going to park.
- Park in well-lit areas after dark.
- Use car parking facilities as far as possible.
- When leaving your car, take your laptop bag with you.
- Place valuable items in the boot when you leave home and not when you arrive at your destination as someone could be watching you.
IMAGE: Scott Arendse, CCID online coordinator