Gauteng is the car theft capital of South Africa
Recent stats reveal that Gauteng experienced more than 50% of stolen vehicles in South Africa during the second quarter of 2024.
Data from the South African Police Service recently revealed that 8,611 cars and motorcycles were stolen across South Africa between April and June 2024.
As alarming as that total is, it was interesting to note that this figure was less than the statistics from 2023, which saw 470 more cases.
According to the Top Auto website, SAPS records motor vehicle theft differently from that of vehicles involved in carjackings. "Carjackings are listed as a sub-category of aggravated robbery, whereas the theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles is categorised as a property-related crime."
The key difference between the two is that one occurs in the presence of the vehicle owner, while the other occurs when the vehicle is parked somewhere without the driver or owner present.
Of the 8,611 stolen motor vehicles, 4,529 were recorded in Gauteng, the "car theft capital of South Africa".
This constitutes over 50% of car theft in the country. The top ten police stations where car theft is reported in Gauteng include Brooklyn, Honeydew, Krugersdorp, Roodepoort, Garsfontein, Springs, Wierdabrug, Lyttleton, Kempton Park, and Brakpan.
KwaZulu-Natal comes in second with 1,401 cases of stolen vehicles. The most affected areas as per the reports at KZN police stations include Durban Central, Chatsworth, Phoenix, Umbilo, Verulam, Sydenham, Berea, Newlands East, Durban North, and Pinetown.
"The most frequently stolen vehicles in South Africa are bakkies, SUVs, sedans, and high-speed hatchbacks, as per data from car-tracking firm Cartrack. Bakkies are often stolen to be resold in other regions where they are employed to transport goods and are therefore in high demand on the black market." (Top Auto)
The most common cars that are targeted include but are not limited to:
- VW Polo
- Ford Ranger
- Nissan NP200
- Toyota RAV4
- Toyota Corolla Cross
- Toyota Hilux GD-6 and D-4D
- Toyota Fortuner GD-6 and D-4D
The security group, Fidelity Services Group, shared this.
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