10 Tips to avoid being Car-jacked

As the crime situation around PNG towns deteriorates the nature of the crime committed appears to be evolving. No longer content with the proverbial armed hold-up or bus stop style pick-pocketing, raskols are now supplementing their activities with “centro americano” style kidnappings and car-jackings.

Here’s a short description borrowed from one of the online dictionaries explaining what a car-jacking is:

Car-jacking is a form of hijacking, where the crime involves the stealing a motor vehicle and armed assault when the vehicle is occupied. Historically the general term hijacking was used to describe the theft of the vehicle itself and did not often included the kidnapping of the driver. During present day car-jacking, typically, the car-jacker is armed, and the driver is forced out of the car with the threat of bodily injury. In other rarer cases, the driver is kidnapped under threat of a weapon and is retained as a passenger under duress.

The car-jacking situation in Port Moresby has received some press coverage recently and one of the local NGO’s has even gone so far as to issue a list of tips to avoid being car-jacked:

1. Ensure car doors and windows are locked.
2. Vary your routes to and from work.
3. Maintain sufficient distance between you and the vehicle in front to allow action to be taken.
4. Stay on busy roads and avoid less traveled roads.
5. Always consider alternative routes should primary routes be obstructed for any reason.
6. If vehicles are slow moving or braking constantly, this may be a sign that someone is trying to block your path in front or with the assistance of an accomplice in a vehicle behind you.
7. Keep your house keys separate from your car keys, in the event that you have to give up your vehicle in a car-jacking.
8. When approaching a gated driveway, scan the area before stopping at the gate. Avoid stopping directly in front of the gate, as carjackers can use this situation to their advantage by using their vehicle to trap you.
9. Always park in secure areas monitored by Security Guards.
10. Car-jackings can happen anytime and anywhere, however criminal activity in the evening increases. Minimise travel after dark. If you must travel at night, utilize the monitoring system we have in place with Protect Security.