Cartrack warns that vehicle component theft is on the rise in South Africa.
Certain cars are being earmarked for specific items which are in demand on the black market.
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The latest report from the South African Police Services indicates that an average of 66 cars are stolen daily. This statistic has seen an increase of 6.5% from 2023.
Tracker’s most recent Vehicle Crime Index has underlined similar concerns, noting that hijackings and car thefts had significantly increased towards the end of 2023.
This 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%.
Cartrack, a prestigious car-tracking company, in response has stated that the theft of car components has become more frequent than the theft of vehicles in their entirety.
The company has furthermore stated that there is a high demand for cost-effective, readily available parts on the black market. This demand then serves as the driving force for the theft of car components. These parts are easier to conceal and less difficult to steal than entire vehicles.
It has been noted that airbags, batteries, tailgates, wheels, and tyres are among the most stolen parts.
Cartrack reported incidents of stolen vehicles that were later found completely stripped; this is an indicator of the profitable trade value of illegal chop shops and stolen car parts, which has been estimated at about R442 million.
The trend of stealing car components is quicker and more profitable alternative to reselling stolen cars. Partakers in this trend include not only thieves but also car mechanics who are comfortable with bending the rules. These mechanics replace car parts with faulty, cheaper parts whilst doing repairs.
Criminals can effortlessly steal vehicle components, with four wheels capable of being removed in five minutes, airbags and tailgates in two minutes, and a battery disconnected in as little as one minute.
Business Tech has noted that the insurance company MiWay reports similar statistics, as the most frequently stolen accessories include car wheels, wheel caps, car batteries, sound equipment, vehicle mirrors and headlights.
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Although all cars have these components, certain models are targeted more often.
Security companies have remarked that the supply and demand in the market largely influence hijacking trends in the country.
The targeted brand and model align with those that are most seen on the road as the demand for the vehicle raises the demand for its parts.
Toyota and VW usually find themselves in high demand. Their top-selling models, the Hilux bakkie and the VW Polo as a result, have become prime targets for theft.
The demand on the black market for these cars is so high that Toyota has decided to provide free security updates to drivers in SA to counter-act the chances of theft.
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