Annual crime statistics for 2022 remain a grim reminder of the perils of living in South Africa but opportunist criminals have gotten creative in their endeavours to disarm you of your car. That fast-food drive-through may not be the best idea on your way home after all.
Citizens tend to let their guard down in the confines of well-lit public spaces that are populated with other cars and people. According to ADT, brazen and opportunist criminals have found a hijacking opportunity at fast-food drive-through establishments across the country.
Related: Where is hot and where is not? Hijacking hotspots ranked in SA
According to the Head of marketing & communications for Fidelity ADT, Charnel Hattingh, this is the latest hijacking trend to further inundate local motorists with bad news. Hattingh states: “We are increasingly starting to see a concerning trend where criminals target unsuspecting patrons at fast-food drive-thru establishments. Typically as you get to the front of the queue, armed suspects from the vehicle in front of you get out and attempt to hijack your vehicle. There are usually two cars involved, the vehicle behind you, blocks in your car when you try and reverse.”
This is a classic sitting duck scenario where victims are preoccupied and neglect to observe their surroundings for suspicious activity. Fidelity ADT mentions a few safety tips to help mitigate the likelihood of this happening to you. These include:
- Use well-frequented drive-throughs and avoid any retail establishments which are dimly lit or isolated at night.
- Try and only order food at peak times when patronage is at its highest.
- Keep all your windows and doors closed while waiting for your order.
- If possible don’t take the children with you to the drive-throughs as they can be distracting.
- Whilst waiting check your rear-view mirrors and do not be distracted by music or cell phones.
- If you suspect you could be a victim of a hijacking start pressing your hooter a number of times. Generally, hijackers do not like this kind of attention which draws interest.
- If your children are with you, the eldest child should always be seated behind the driver and the younger child to the left – both in the back seat.
- If you are hijacked while your children are in the car, climb out of the vehicle slowly and move to the back door directly behind the driver’s door. Place one foot firmly in the car, on the floor behind the driver’s seat, as you lean across to retrieve the youngest child. The eldest child will probably cling to you and you can get both children out of the car at once. Remember to stay as calm as possible.
Watch this vehicle-related crime video provided by ADT to help cope with a hijacking ordeal.
