An attempted Smash & Grab on Durban’s Tollgate Bridge was caught on camera on Monday evening.
The footage that was posted on Facebook shows the attacker attempting to smash the driver’s window.
The driver can be seen pulling away from the attacker as they left enough room between themselves and the car in front of them – a vitally important tip when it comes to avoiding falling victim to smash and grabs and hijackings.
Luckily in this case the attacker was not successful but it’s footage like this that highlights the importance of being aware of your surroundings and vigilant at all times. Here are some more tips to help avoid a smash & grab:
- Be EXTRA-vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times
- Put your valuables (such as bags, laptops, etc) in the boot of the car
- Do not use your cellphone
- Close your windows
- Ensure all doors are locked
- Approach red traffic lights slowly rather than coming to a complete stop
- If you are stopped at a traffic light, leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front allowing you space to manoeuvre should you have to escape a dangerous situation
- If you find yourself in a smash & grab situation, do not confront the individual as they may be armed and dangerous.
Although we can’t prevent these types of things from happening, we can soften the blow of such traumatic events through our powerful Theftbuster Plus policy which will assist in getting victims back on their feet by taking care of associated expenses, providing for trauma counselling and an extensive list of covered items in such an incident.
