As a fleet operator you can protect your vehicles against theft & hijacking by partnering with a top-notch stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) service and educating yourself on high-risk probabilities. This involves the vehicle brand choices you make, proactive theft prevention, and utilising technology to increase vehicle safety.
According to a paper published by Research Gate, vehicle tracking has numerous cost-saving benefits for fleet companies. While this paper is worth checking out, remember that it all started with vehicle tracking for the purpose of preventing theft.
There seems to be a silent war going on between car thieves and road security companies like Cartrack. There’s no question that vehicle tracking makes it much harder for thieves to carry out a hijacking or a vehicle theft, but there are no guarantees your fleet vehicles won’t be targeted just because they’re tracked.
So what do you as a fleet manager do to safeguard your assets? Let’s explore some major ways you can minimise the chances of losing your vehicles to vehicle theft syndicates and opportunistic thieves.
For decades now there’s been a tactical battle between car thieves and vehicle security companies like Cartrack. This battle starts with a theft attempt, followed by a counter measure, followed by a method to bypass that measure, and so on.
Based on Cartrack’s recovery rate success, we’d like to think that those who put their trust in our technology rarely end up with a stolen vehicle.
Here’s a breakdown of what we’re doing to win the war against car thieves:
The more criminals evolve to counter our security measures, the harder we work to develop technology that foils their attempts.
For private motorists and fleet owners, technology is the CENTRE of theft prevention. But the question comes in, “Who’s technology is the most advanced?” Cartrack is the trailblazer in the world of tracking because we’re often the first to develop better methods of theft prevention and recovery—which is why our success is so well documented.
If you really want to avoid ultimate theft or hijacking losses against your fleet, it’s all about choosing the right partner. Hundreds of companies trust us to keep their fleet vehicles safe, and our service & support speak for itself.
If you’re a fleet operator trying to mitigate vehicle theft or hijacking risks, you should be aware of vehicle theft trends. There are certain vehicle brands and types that are more prone to be stolen than others. There are even vehicle colours that might carry higher risks.
Let’s find out what these are and what you can do to lessen the chances of having your vehicles targeted.
Cartrack did a deep dive on types of vehicles more at risk of being targeted by thieves and car theft syndicates. We also did an interesting piece on what vehicle colour is LESS likely to be stolen.
The facts presented in these articles are well worth considering if you own a fleet. For example, having a white delivery van could put your fleet at more risk compared to other types or colours.
Now you may be asking, “What if I already have white vans in my fleet?”
Luckily there’s another way to lower the risk of theft against your fleet if you’re already settled with a fleet of “high-risk vehicles”, as we’re about to learn.
Yes, branding your vehicles definitely plays a role in curbing theft. Criminals aren’t keen on driving around a stolen vehicle that’s easily distinguished from “regular-looking” vehicles. Their goal is to get away as quickly as possible without being tracked down, so they’re more likely to go for plain-looking vehicles that blend in easily.
Is this a strategy worth considering for your own fleet? If it means your vehicle is less likely to be targeted, or easier to track down when it is targeted, then the answer is YES.
Delivery vans have a higher risk of being hijacked because they often carry valuable goods in the cargo section. Hijackers see this as a “bonus” for carrying out a successful attempt, and will especially target a delivery van if they KNOW the cargo is high-value.
This is all the more reason to protect your assets with theft & hijacking prevention strategies.
Stolen vehicle recovery is a reactive way to retrieve your vehicle. Fortunately, Cartrack also puts a lot of focus on PROACTIVE strategies that prevent the theft from occurring in the first place. These strategies include taking advantage of geofences, virtual car guards, driver training, and backup tracking units.
In fleet management, a geofence acts as an area-based marker you determine on a map. It can be any size and any shape, allowing you to set certain limits or notifications for when your drivers pass that “virtual barrier”.
For example: you only operate in a certain area because it’s a low-risk region where vehicle theft isn’t that prevalent. You don’t want your drivers moving outside of this area due to crime risks, so you set your geofence around the area.
However, one of your drivers wants to bypass traffic and decides to cut through this “forbidden” terrain. Immediately you’re alerted to the breach, allowing you to take action.
Geofences have many uses, several of which relate to vehicle theft prevention. It gives you more control over where your drivers can operate and how much awareness you have of their movements.
Driver coaching plays an important role in keeping vehicles AND your drivers safe from hijacking attempts. We’ve taken much time to educate fleet operators on how to train their drivers in a hijacking, and here’s a summary of what we’ve covered:
What to do in a hijacking situation is the same for private motorists as it is for fleet drivers. Do YOUR drivers know what to do if they’re ever in this situation?
Training can and should extend further than this. Your drivers should be taught theft prevention methods when it comes to protecting your/their vehicles:
But what happens when neither you or your drivers are close to the vehicle? Glad you asked…
While CarWatch from Cartrack is popular among motorists, fleet operators also benefit from this intuitive app. It works by alerting your driver to “suspicious” movement around the vehicle.
It does this through smart telematics technology paired with an app on your phone. If there’s been tampering with your vehicle or even suspicious movement around it, your driver will be alerted—and so will the control room at Cartrack. It’s a good way to always make sure there are virtual “eyes” on your vehicles when your drivers aren’t around.
Considering the evolution of vehicle theft in South Africa, backup methods are being seriously considered by fleet managers and motorists alike. Cartrack has once again come with a solid solution by introducing the Cartrack Tag.
It’s a self-powered tracking device that doesn’t rely on regular cellular signals to transmit a signal. When your hardwired tracking device is jammed, not only will we be alerted, but we can continue to track your vehicle through the Tag because it operates on a unique radio frequency that remains unaffected by signal jamming technology.
This ensures a double layer of tracking security that outsmarts thieves & hijackers, giving you an EVEN better chance of retrieving your vehicle post-theft.
Together with thinking about vehicle theft risks against your fleet, also consider other factors outside of your vehicles, like cargo theft, fuel theft (or fraud), and even false claims against your drivers. As a fleet operator, you manage more than just vehicles, and we know that, which is why we have other systems in place to protect your fleet comprehensively.
As we mentioned earlier, delivery vans are a favourite target for vehicle thieves because of the goods they carry. But often, stealing a van is too much effort when they can make a quick getaway with JUST the goods themselves.
In addition to cargo locks and traditional safeguards, cargo door sensors and cargo cameras are powerful security measures for fleets carrying goods. Worth investing in if you’re experiencing high theft risk in your fleet.
Fuel is valuable, which makes it a substance that WILL be stolen if thieves get half a chance. Fuel fraud and outright fuel theft are often committed by syndicates, but sometimes they work with your staff to commit fuel fraud that won’t be easily noticed.
Keeping track of your fuel takes more than log books and standard fuel gauges. You need a fuel management system that highlights wasted fuel so that you can take decisive action and prevent it in future.
While not a traditional form of theft, false claims are still a TYPE of theft that threatens your business if you’re a fleet operator. Whether it’s a vehicle accident involving another car or a pedestrian making an illegal crossing, knowing exactly what happened is invaluable to resolving these kinds of disputes.
Cartrack specialises in dashcams for fleet vehicles, which are strategically placed to provide a full view of your drivers’ surroundings. If someone DOES try to make a false claim against your company, it’s good to know that you and your drivers are protected.
If you’re sold on the idea that telematics is VITAL for preventing vehicle theft in your fleet, you may as well get the best. Covering all of the points mentioned above, Cartrack offers one of the top telematics-based fleet platforms.
You don’t have to take them all, but the ones that are relevant to your own fleet will go a long way to protect your investments (vehicles) and give you a return on investment that will immediately & gradually show a positive upswing in your profit margins.
Talk to a Cartrack consultant to discuss which of these features you want to implement into your fleet to make vehicle theft less of a concern in your daily operations.
Explore how Cartrack outsmarts thieves with telematics and proactive strategies to keep your fleet safe from hijacking and theft.
