Garsfontein and De Villebois Mareuil roads in Tshwane have been identified as hotspots for tyre spiking crimes.
AfriForum spokesperson for community safety Jacques Broodryk said in tyre spiking crimes, assailants place spikes on the road surface to puncture the tyres so that motorists stop for repairs.
He said once the motorist has stopped, they are ambushed and robbed.
Broodryk said in the past, the assailants would target back, deserted roads.
“Criminals, however, have now started to apply this technique to busier roads as well, though it is often carried out at quieter times of day, especially at night,” he said.
Previously, more rural sections of the N1 north of Pretoria, the R80, N4 in the north of the city as well as the N4 in Pretoria east were notorious for these traps.
Broodryk said AfriForum neighbourhood watches in and around Pretoria are committed to combatting the serious increase in spike traps currently reported on several main routes as part of the civic organisation’s broader campaign to curb the crime.
He said several serious spiking incidents have been reported over the past few weeks.
He said a man was robbed and fatally stabbed on the N4, east of Pretoria, on March 31 after he pulled over to inspect the damage caused by an object to his tyres.
He said this modus operandi is becoming ever more common that even ambulances and metro police vehicles have been targeted.
“Our neighbourhood watches in the Pretoria area have committed themselves to include these hotspots, where spiking and stone traps regularly occur, in their patrol routes. They are on the lookout for any suspicious objects on these routes and to help civilians who might need assistance in this regard,” said Broodryk.
He called on local CPFs and other community safety structures to join hands with them in combatting this type of crime.
Police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza said due to the increase of the spiking incidents, the public is warned to be cautious when driving on the following routes:
– N14 highway
– N1 highway near Carousel Plaza
– Wallmansthal on-ramp on the R80 highway
– R566 road
– N1 highway between Sefako Makghato Drive and Wallmansdal on-ramp
– R80 highway
Kweza said two spiking cases are currently in the Pretoria Central court.
She said police have intensified patrols at hotspots joined by their Gauteng traffic and metro counterparts.
She urged motorists to heed the warning boards erected on the N1 North at Carousel Plaza and other highways, which read: “Do no stop for the next 5km”.
Kweza said these boards indicate a crime hotspot, mainly between 20:00 and 04:00 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Broodryk gave the following advice for spike and stone traps:
– Continue driving after the incident for as far as is possible or until you reach a safe place
– Save the contact numbers of the emergency services, local neighbourhood watch or security company to your phone
– Contact your local neighbourhood watch, a security company or emergency services as soon as possible and inform them of the incident. Give full details of the object used in the trap and provide the address or location thereof. This will prevent further attacks on other motorists.
– Make sure your cellphone is charged before you hit the road
– Share your location with loved ones, especially when travelling alone
– Be alert and get into the habit of looking ahead to spot any threats, foreign objects or people on or along the road
– Consider subscribing to an emergency service application such as AfriForum 911 panic button to use on your phone. This application is available for free on Google Play Store and App Store.
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