Criminals take a holiday too

Vehicle crime slows over the festive season

Tracker’s vehicle crime statistics for July to December 2025 reveal a notable slowdown in vehicle crime over the festive season. Nationally, both theft and hijacking of personally owned and business-owned vehicles decline in December.

The Tracker Vehicle Crime Index aggregates information from Tracker’s subscription base. The data shows that overall vehicle crime declines by around 30% in December, compared to preceding months. This reduction is primarily driven by a 35% decrease in the theft of business-owned vehicles. The seasonal dip can largely be attributed to changes in routine driving and parking patterns, with schools, workplaces and commercial operations closing or slowing down at the end of the year.

The regional breakdown, however, paints a slightly different picture. Gauteng, which consistently records the highest vehicle crime volumes, aligns with the national trend and sees a reduction in overall vehicle crime in December. KwaZulu-Natal, meanwhile, largely maintains its usual levels of vehicle crime over the period.

In the Western Cape, crime involving personally owned vehicles decreases, aligning with the national trend. Bucking this pattern, however, the province records its highest levels of vehicle crime involving business-owned vehicles during December, across both hijacking and theft. This increase may be linked to opportunistic crime in areas that remain active during the festive season, such as tourist hotspots with heightened hospitality activity and ongoing deliveries.

Tracker’s findings broadly align with South African Police Services (SAPS) statistics, which, while reported on a quarterly rather than monthly basis, indicate a similar pattern. Vehicle crime generally declines in the final quarter of the year across provinces recording the highest vehicle crime volumes, except in the Western Cape, where theft of motor vehicles and truck hijacking increases.

Nationally, hijackings of business-owned vehicles occur at double the rate of theft, underscoring the elevated risk faced by commercial fleets. In contrast, personally owned vehicles are slightly more likely to be stolen than hijacked, with a 52% theft to 48% hijacking split.

Hijackings are mainly reported during the week, with incidents peaking on Tuesdays between 4pm and 9pm. Meanwhile, vehicle theft is most commonly reported over weekends, particularly on Saturdays between 11am and 4pm.

When focusing specifically on business-owned vehicles, a slightly different pattern emerges. Hijackings are more likely to occur on Wednesdays between 4pm and 9pm, while theft of business-owned vehicles peaks on Fridays between 11am and 9pm.

Tracker remains committed to protecting people and their vehicles. During the second half of 2025, the company recovered 3,590 vehicles, assisted in 127 arrests and helped recover 12 firearms.

“While the numbers may reduce over the holiday period, it’s essential to remain alert to your surroundings – crime hasn’t stopped,” says Duma Ngcobo, Chief Operating Officer at Tracker. “While on holiday, live in the moment, but be mindful that threats to your wellbeing can arise anywhere and at any time. Remaining vigilant could make all the difference.”