“During the three months under review we have seen an increase with 1,563 cases reported as compared to the same period in 2020/2021 where there were 524 cases reported.”
In a sample of 1,404 cases, the top three causative factors for kidnappings are hijacking-related with 784 incidents, robbery-related with 221 incidents and retaliation- or revenge-related with 90 incidents.
Kempton Park police station recorded the highest number of kidnappings with 56 cases, an increase of 700% from seven reports in the previous year.
This is followed by Heidelberg police station with 49 cases, a 4,800% increase from the single case reported last year, and Orange Farm police station with 47 cases, an increase of 291.7% from 12 cases last year.
Hillbrow police station was the only station to record no increase with 14 cases, the same as last year.
Gauteng crime stats: 1,563 kidnappings in three months
Image: 123RF
More than 1,500 cases of kidnappings were reported in Gauteng in the first quarter of the year.
This is almost triple the 524 incidents in the same time last year.
The figures were reported by Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela on Tuesday.
Kidnappings, he said, are continuing to rise across all districts in the province.
“The causative factors remain the same. They happen during hijackings. During the commission of this crime victims are taken with the vehicles, deprived of freedom of movement and dropped off at other places later.
“During the three months under review we have seen an increase with 1,563 cases reported as compared to the same period in 2020/2021 where there were 524 cases reported.”
In a sample of 1,404 cases, the top three causative factors for kidnappings are hijacking-related with 784 incidents, robbery-related with 221 incidents and retaliation- or revenge-related with 90 incidents.
Kempton Park police station recorded the highest number of kidnappings with 56 cases, an increase of 700% from seven reports in the previous year.
This is followed by Heidelberg police station with 49 cases, a 4,800% increase from the single case reported last year, and Orange Farm police station with 47 cases, an increase of 291.7% from 12 cases last year.
Hillbrow police station was the only station to record no increase with 14 cases, the same as last year.
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