How car-jammming works

You park your vehicle in a busy parking lot, quickly get out the door and press your remote. 

And when you return, your car is unlocked and valuables are stolen. 

It's very possible you were a victim of car-jamming. 

Incidents of car-jamming have been increasingly common in South Africa and is a major safety concern for motorists.

Experts say it's a fairly simple crime to carry out.

"You take your car and push the remote control, to send a signal to your car. Your car receives the signal as it has a responder. But you don't even wait to hear the two beeps. What car jamming essentially does is intercept the signal and say 'no locking'."
-Michael Pashut, owner of the online platform Change Cars 

Pashut calls it a lower level of car theft compared to hijacking and window smashing, as it's less sophisticated. 

"Criminals would need to be relatively close to the victim's car - about 10 to 15 metres."
-Michael Pashut, owner of the online platform Change Cars 

You're no less safer at a shopping mall in Camps Bay or Constantia. 

So ultimately, always be vigilant. 

"When you get out of the car, lock your car and check it immediately. But the unfortunate caveat is that when you walk away, they can still open your car." 
-Michael Pashut, owner of the online platform Change Cars 

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