The most commonly stolen car parts in South Africa
Protect yourself and your vehicle against the theft of these most stolen car parts in South Africa. Some of these items will surprise you …
It’s common knowledge that Mzansi is battling a vehicle hijacking epidemic, but did you know there’s a multi-million-Rand for blackmarket stolen car parts in South Africa, too? Vehicle hijackings are endemic to Mzansi, with SAPS reporting 5 511 cars hijacked/stolen in the last three months. Do that math and you work out that’s 1 800 per month, or 60 per day!
With most cars destined for smuggling across the Mozambique or Zimbabwe border, there is just as much demand for individual stolen car parts in South Africa. A recent report from TopAuto found these are most pilfered car parts by Mzansi’s criminals …
MOST STOLEN CAR PARTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
According to a Cartrack report, bakkie tailgates, (un-deployed) airbags, vehicle batteries, tow hitches, wheels and tyres are the most commonly stolen car parts in South Africa. Theft of these individual components – unlike hijackings – stays within SA’s borders. And in terms of sheer volume, stolen car parts in South Africa are higher because it’s easier to hide the goods and harder to trace than an entire vehicle.
Cartrack says there is big demand for cheap, readily available parts on the black market. Local chop shops are a R442-million per year industry. In fact, reselling car parts striped from a vehicle is seen as better business by many in the trade. Simply because it’s less traceable than hiding, smuggling and reselling an enitre stolen vehicle.
SEASONED THIEVES AT WORK
That is why you need to take care against seasoned thieves for whom this type of work is easy. Cartrack says professional thieves can remove all four wheels from your car in just five minutes. Grabbing a bakkie tailgate is done in just two minutes. This sells for as much as R2 500 on the black market, therefore making it highly sought-after.
That’s roughly the same time it takes to steal your vehicle battery, rendering your car immobile. If you’ve had to buy a new replacement battery lately, you’ll know just how expensive they are. So, here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your ride against part thieves in South Africa:
- Fit a sturdy, lockable canopy to protect your bakkie’s tailgate.
- Equip your wheels with locknuts.
- Fit extra reinforcement to your battery bracket.
- Always park in a busy, visible and well-lit area.
- Double-check that your vehicle is locked when you leave it.
- Stash valuables out of sight.
- Avoid driving through high-risk areas and known hijacking hotspots.
- Never connect to unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks from your car.
- Don’t be lured out of your car for any reason.
- Fit your vehicle with a GPS tracker so it can be located in the event of theft/hijacking.