Tracker Data Reveals Shift in South African Hijacking Patterns as Criminals Target Early-Week Commuting Windows

Tracker data reveals South African hijackings now peak on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Learn about the 2026 vehicle crime trends and festive season stats.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 5:47 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from TopAuto

Shift in Weekly Peak Times for Vehicle Crime

New data from vehicle tracking and recovery firm Tracker highlights an evolving trend in South African vehicle crime, showing that hijackings are increasingly occurring earlier in the week. While data from the first half of 2025 indicated that Thursdays were the most dangerous days, the latter half of the year saw a shift toward Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For private vehicles, hijackings are most prevalent between 16:00 and 21:00 on these days. This shift suggests that criminals are adapting to changing social and commuting patterns to exploit predictable windows of vulnerability.

December Festive Period Sees Notable Decline in Activity

Despite the alarming daily averages, the Tracker Vehicle Crime Index recorded a substantial 30% decrease in overall vehicle crime during December. This downturn was largely driven by a 35% drop in the theft of business-owned vehicles. Experts attribute this decline to the breakdown of "exploitable commuting patterns" as schools close and businesses slow down for the holidays. As daily routines become less predictable and many drivers head to holiday destinations, the opportunities for targeted, habitual ambushes appear to diminish significantly.

Provincial Variations and Business Vehicle Risks

While Gauteng and the Western Cape followed the national downward trend in December for private vehicles, the Western Cape recorded an increase in crimes involving business-owned vehicles. This is likely due to the surge in commercial activity and opportunistic crime in busy tourist hubs during the summer season. Business-owned vehicles remain a high-risk category; data shows they are twice as likely to be hijacked as stolen. In contrast, private vehicle incidents are more evenly split, with theft accounting for 52% of cases compared to 48% for hijackings.