As if the global economic meltdown were not bad news enough for transport operators, now comes the news that truck theft and hijacking, acts of economical sabotage resulting in huge losses for transporters and insurance companies, are on the increase reports Andrew Parker. 

Speaking at the recent Captive Business Consultants annual conference in Muldersdrift, Danie Day, a private investigator with a wealth of knowledge and information on vehicle hijacking syndicates, warned commercial vehicle fleet operators to improve their on-road security and all-round vigilance. 

Day and his team have 21 years experience in hijacking investigations during which time they have investigated around 7 000 truck hijacks. Day was, in fact, instrumental in establishing the first truck hi-jacking unit in the SAPS in 1988. 

According to Day, depending on the time of year, between 30 and 40 trucks are being hijacked every month in South Africa. While many of the hijackings are aimed at the load, a large percentage of the hijacked trucks are taken into neighbouring states. 

In his address to delegates, Day outlined a number of preventative measures vehicle fleet operators can take to reduce the risk of hijacks. These include in-house driver training as well as ensuring that vehicle tracking and monitoring systems are up to scratch and that the relevant company personnel are au fait with the necessary procedures to take, not only to prevent hijacking, but how to react if such an event should occur. 

Tracking systems 

Day says a typical mistake made by many fleet operators is that while they may have a good road haulage operation, they often install the cheapest vehicle tracking or monitoring system available on the market in order to qualify for reduced insurance premiums. Day says fleet operators must understand what antihijack system they are buying and what its limitations are. They should also ensure their own personnel know how to operate the system. 

He says he has experienced trucking companies whose drivers are unaware of what type of antihijack system has been installed and where the panic buttons are located. “Many transport companies do not train their drivers in any form of antihijack procedures. In the event of a hijack, the drivers do not have any idea what to do or whom to contact.” 

As an example, he cites a case where a transport company found one of its drivers sitting by the roadside many hours after he had been hijacked. “When asked what he was doing there, the driver said he thought someone would come looking for him when he didn’t arrive at his destination. Needless to say, the truck and load were long gone.” 

And it doesn’t stop with the drivers. In some instances, even the fleet managers are unaware of what tracking system is fitted to the fleet as it was installed prior to their arrival at the company. Asked which antihijack system he considered to be the best, he said: “The one which is properly monitored.” 

On this point, Day says many transport companies who monitor their own vehicle fleets do not have the proper facilities or personnel to carry out this task effectively. 

“Monitoring a vehicle fleet is a 24/7 operation. Many companies who monitor their own fleets do not have personnel on hand to do this and it is not uncommon for a tracking system to be left unmanned after working hours and over weekends rendering the system useless. 

“On top of this, many anti-hijack systems have a built-in tamper alert system but this often alerts only one member of staff. If that person does not receive, or misses, the call the hijackers will more than likely get away with the truck and the load.” 

To counter this, Day says the tamper alert should notify at least three members of staff who all know what steps should be taken in the event of a hijack alert. 

“It is important that the tracking companies also install the tracking unit in such a way that the suspects cannot easily locate it. A backup unit, in any form, is important and it would be of great help if a similar unit could be fitted to the trailers.

An incentive should be given to the fleet controller in a case where he identifies a possible hijacking, when a driver is off route or when a truck is parked at a specific location for an unknown period. 

Day adds that transport companies using a bureau service must monitor and measure the level of customer service they are receiving. 

Driver management

Getting back to the drivers, some years ago it was estimated that over 90% of hijackings involved some form of collusion between the drivers and the hijackers. Day says while driver collusion remains an ongoing problem, it is not as serious as it is made out to be. He estimates that currently about 30% of truck hijacks involve some form of driver collusion. 

A more serious concern is that when it comes to hijack prevention, many transport companies simply do not manage or train their drivers properly despite the fact that driver management should start even before the driver is hired. 

“It is imperative that a driver’s work and personal history be properly checked prior to him being hired. In addition to licence checks, accident history and checks for criminal records, fleet operators must make the effort to speak to as many of the driver’s previous employers as possible to ascertain why the driver left, whether he had ever been hijacked or whether or not he had financial or other problems such as drinking or taking drugs?” 

Day says a current trend among transport operators is to hire foreign nationals such as Zimbabweans as drivers. He describes this as a dangerous practice. 

“Fleet owners hire foreign drivers because they are willing to work for a lot less than locals,” he says. “The problem is that it is often difficult, even impossible, to check their work history, whether or not they have valid driving licences or criminal records.” 

Day adds that potential employees should also submit to a preemployment polygraph screening prior to being hired. “It is not uncommon for professional hijack syndicates to ‘plant’ drivers in various companies in order to perpetrate a crime.” 

Adding to this, Day says drivers who have been hijacked should be properly debriefed. “If there is any doubt at all as to his involvement, a driver should be subjected to further questioning and interrogation and a furthern polygraph test if deemed necessary.” 

Syndicates 

Day reiterates that the prowess of the vehicle hijacking syndicates should not be underestimated. “These guys are professional businessmen - except their business is crime. They know our businesses back to front; they know how our computer and tracking systems operate; they know what resources we have available; and they know our reaction times.” 

He reckons the hijackers of today do not jump into a truck and immediately disable the tracking system thereby alerting a recovery team or the police. “Rather, they bide their time and deactivate the system when they are good and ready. A hijacked vehicle may also be left standing at a truck stop, for example, where the hijackers will keep it under observation for a period of time, until they are sure it is not being tracked, after which they will move it to its final destination.” 

Border control

In Day’s opinion, one of the most serious challenges facing the transport industry is the lack of checks and controls at the 35 border posts linking South Africa to its neighbours. 

He says many hijacks are carried out within four hours striking distance of any of these border crossings. “If the operator or tracking company is not notified in time, the truck is easily transported into a neighbouring state where it is almost impossible to retrieve.” 

Day says there are a multitude of problems at these border crossings with collusion, corruption, incompetence and bureaucracy topping the list. It seems the principal markets for stolen rigs are Zambia, Mozambique and more recently, Angola, and the biggest hurdle for stolen vehicle recovery specialists is overcoming government bureaucracy to get the vehicles back from these countries. 

Illustrating this point, Day says there is a small town some 3 000 km north of Maputo in Mozambique which almost resembles a second hand truck yard, such is the number of trucks on show. “Neither the police nor the army are able to go in there and remove any of these vehicles, many of which have been identified as being stolen or hijacked in South Africa. The syndicates run the town and that is the way it is.” 

It’s not, however, the way it should be.