Durbanville police issued a warning to the community that criminals have been targeting VW Polo vehicles. Car owners in the Western Cape have been urged to be cautious and leave their cars in a secure location.
Since the beginning of September, a number of VW Polo vehicles have been stolen in the region. Durbanville police spokesperson Captain Mda Rhode said there were no specific times the vehicles were being stolen.
Rhode stated that “These vehicles are stolen during the day, as well as during the night. Some of these cars will be parked in garages, lots, and buildings”.
“The Durbanville police urge the community to take extra measures to secure these types of vehicles. Park the vehicles in a secure area and install alarms and tracker systems,” he added.
Criminals have improved their methods for stealing cars across the nation. Many times, car thieves have utilized electronic devices to prevent car keys and remotes from locking the doors. Rhode claimed that similar tactics are used in other locations as well.
In South Africa, the VW Polo is a well-liked car among young people. Criminals primarily use the vehicle to carry out their crimes. The car brand is targeted because of how quickly its car parts sell. Additionally, the vehicle is exported to the nearby nations of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
The majority of these used Volkswagen Polo cars are from Japan, and each one is worth between R40,000 and R100,000.
According to Statistics South Africa’s most recent data, 134 000 people were hijacked in 2021/22 compared to 64 000 in 2020/21. I
n 2021/22, an anticipated 137 000 hijackings took place, impacting 134 000 (0.3%) people who are 16 years of age and older. About 63% of the victims called the police about some or all of the events.
Police have advised members of the public to contact Durbanville police at 021 970 3800 or the emergency services at 10 111 in the event of any suspicious activity.
The number of crimes, including carjacking, has increased in South Africa. South Africa is slowly becoming one of the most dangerous places to live in Southern Africa. Every weekend, robberies claim the lives of scores of individuals, while hundreds of vehicles are stolen.
Locals have attributed the rise in crimes nationwide to the influx of immigrant nationals. Demonstrations against foreigners have previously been organized by numerous pressure groups. These protests have occasionally led to xenophobic violence around the nation.
The political environment in South Africa is being shaped by crime and anti-foreigner sentiment as the country prepares for the 2024 elections. The African National Congress (ANC), which is currently in power, has been silent about the anti-foreigner sentiment and recent xenophobic incidents in fear of losing votes in 2024. However, political opposition groups like the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) attribute the nation’s high crime rate to internal inequality.
As the nation approaches elections, one of the items on the agenda will be crime. The present ANC administration has utterly failed to combat crime; in fact, since it gained office in 1994 to replace the apartheid regime, crime has doubled nationwide. There have been many policies put into place, but they have all failed.
The South African government must act quickly to combat the rising crime rate in the nation.