We have found many references recently to hijacking – even the hijacking of company names. On the Car Insurance Blog we are more concerned with advice to vehicle owners that should assist them to protect them from vehicle loss.
During last week a regular visitor to the Blog sent an email with the short reference “Not sure if this is a valid warning?” There are indeed many myths and urban legends doing the rounds in emails – and we need to be cautious when reading and analyzing the contents.
We have however earlier in 2010 referred to this topic in a blog post titled “Be alert to the threat of number plate hijacking” – and since there has been several reports of this technique to hijack vehicles, we would like to provide some exposure to this again.
We would like to quote:
“Number plate hijacking is an innovative way that hijackers use to approach the unsuspecting vehicle owner and take his vehicle from him!
These hijackers will stalk you to a parking lot or mall, after parking your vehicle, they remove your number plate and wait for you to drive off. They then follow you and overtake you displaying your number plate at their window as if you had lost it and want to give it back to you.
Shocked that your number plate has fallen off your car, you bring your vehicle to a halt to get it from them. This is all they want you to do and by the time you realized what happened it is too late, your car was hi-jacked or you could have been raped/killed.
Please don’t just stop for anything; a number plate is valueless compared to your life.
Think what is happening before you react to it.
Criminals are clever and cunning but are ruthless in getting what they want…
We would like to urge all road users to be vigilant and alert at all times!”
Visit the Arrive Alive website for info on:
* Hijack Prevention Guidelines
* Protecting yourself against hijackings