Hijackers have changed their ‘operating hours’ in South Africa

New data shows that the times of the day when most hijackings occur have shifted, with criminals now operating more frequently earlier in the week.

According to Tracker’s latest vehicle crime statistics, a vehicle can be stolen or hijacked on any day, but clear trends have emerged across its national footprint.

Tracker’s vehicle crime statistics for January to June 2025 showed that hijackings were mainly reported on Thursdays between 16h00 and 21h00. However, this has shifted.

Tracker’s vehicle crime statistics for July to December 2025 now show that hijackings are peaking on Tuesdays between 16h00 and 21h00.

Theft of private vehicles continues to be most commonly reported on Saturdays between 11h00 and 16h00. When focusing specifically on business-owned vehicles, a slightly different pattern has emerged.

Hijackings are more likely to occur on Wednesdays between 16h00 and 21h00, while theft of business-owned vehicles peaks on Fridays between 11h00 and 21h00.

Despite these concerning trends, the data also showed some positives. Tracker’s Vehicle Crime Index revealed a notable slowdown in vehicle crime during December.

Nationally, both theft and hijacking of private and business-owned vehicles declined over the festive period, with overall vehicle crime dropping by around 30% compared to preceding months.

This is largely driven by a 35% decrease in the theft of business-owned vehicles. Tracker attributed this decline to changes in routine behaviour at the end of the year.

With schools closing, businesses slowing down, and many people going on holiday, there are fewer predictable commuting patterns and less commercial activity for criminals to exploit.

However, Tracker added that this national trend does not apply uniformly across all regions. Gauteng, which consistently records the highest volume of vehicle crime, followed the overall pattern and saw a decline in December.

KwaZulu-Natal, by contrast, maintains relatively stable levels of vehicle crime during the same period. The Western Cape showed a more complex picture.

Hijacking incidents remain alarmingly high

While crime involving privately owned vehicles decreases in line with the national trend, the province experiences a spike in crime involving business-owned vehicles in December.

Both hijacking and theft increase, likely driven by opportunistic crime in busy tourist areas where hospitality activity and deliveries continue through the festive season.

Tracker’s findings align broadly with police data, which shows that vehicle crime typically declines in the final quarter of the year across most provinces.

However, the latest crime statistics for the third quarter of 2025, covering October to December, recorded 4,778 carjackings across the country.

That works out to an alarming 50 hijackings every day, underscoring the scale of a crime trend that remains deeply entrenched in South Africa’s major metros.

The SAPS data showed that Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape recorded the highest number of hijackings, while the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga are beginning to close the gap.

The statistics also showed that sedans, hatchbacks and coupes remain the most frequently targeted vehicles, with bakkies and panel vans not far behind.

Business-owned vehicles are also at higher risk of hijacking, with hijackings occurring roughly twice as often as thefts.

For privately owned vehicles, theft is slightly more common, accounting for 52% of incidents compared to 48% for hijackings.

Tracker said it continues to play a key role in combating vehicle crime. In the second half of 2025 alone, the company recovered 3,590 vehicles, assisted in 127 arrests and helped recover 12 firearms.

“While the numbers may reduce over the holiday period, it’s essential to remain alert to your surroundings – crime hasn’t stopped,” said Duma Ngcobo, Chief Operating Officer at Tracker.

“While on holiday, live in the moment, but be mindful that threats to your wellbeing can arise anywhere and at any time. Remaining vigilant could make all the difference.”