Worst hijacking spots in South Africa in 2016

There has been a noticeable increase in hijackings in Durban alone this year, the latest incidents including an estate agent hijacked in New Germany, a Glenwood man taken on a nightmare drive, and shots fired in a botched attempt in Pinetown.
BusinessTech has compiled a report on the latest national crime statistics from the South African Police Service, which highlights the significant increase in hijackings in the past year.
According to SAPS, there were over 14,600 reported car hijackings between 2015 and 2016, up 14.3% from 12,770 cases in the prior period.
Statistically, this shows that 40 cars are hijacked every day in South Africa (35 in 2015), or roughly one car every 36 minutes.
Vehicle theft is far more common than hijackings, with SAPS reporting 53,809 cases in 2016.
These are the worst precincts in South Africa for car hijacking and vehicle theft in 2016. The precincts represent the SAPS office where the crime was reported and a case opened, not necessarily where the crime took place – however it is indicative of the trouble area.
Car hijacking
While Gauteng has the worst hijacking spots in the country, Nyanga in the Western Cape has emerged as the worst precinct in the country, overtaking Booysens which held the top dishonour in 2016.
Both Chatsworth and Pinetown feature on the list, with a combined total of 321 incidents reported.
The 10 worst precincts account for 12% of total carjacking cases.

Criminals often stake out properties before striking, with prime times for hijackings being in the early morning and evening. Always report any suspicious individuals or vehicles to the police, your security company and the neighbourhood watch.
Vehicle theft
Honeydew has maintained its place as the worst area for vehicle theft in the country, with Berea in KZN moving up to second place and Durban Central into third, totaling a staggering 1 347 cars being stolen.
The 10 worst precincts account for 11.1% of all vehicle theft crimes.

Keep some of these safety tips in mind to prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
Read the full article, that also includes stats for truck hijackings, here.