Why is car vandalism on the rise nowadays?

 

Not safe enough at a police station? : A man looks at the extent of damage done on socialite Shanita Namuyimbwa’s Range Rover Sport that was parked at Kibuli Police Station. Thugs took off with some things left in the vehicle including some accessories. PHOTOS BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA  

By Jonathan Adengo

Christopher Kato had gone to watch his favourite musician perform at Equatorial Parking Yard last month. But due to the increased traffic and high number of cars flocking the venue, he decided to park by the roadside and left a guard whom he tipped to help man the car.

However, when he returned after the concert, he found a dent on the door- the driver’s side, which was left open with no lock engaged.

When he entered and tried to switch on the radio, he was met with an open space with a few loosely hanging wires. The car radio had been stolen. The guard who was meant to guard the car was on the other side of the road.

Kato suffered what is a vice that is fast sweeping across the city. Car theft cases have been on the rise, according to a recent report by police. According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Ibn Ssenkumbi car vandalism is very common today especially theft of detachable car parts. “Many people are reportedly complaining about theft of their car parts,” he says.

For some people, the thieves have attacked them right in the safety of their homes. Lucas Otim, a resident of Kireka owns two cars but has only one garage where he parks one of the cars. Two
weeks ago, thieves jumped onto his compound late in the night and made off with his side mirrors, car radio and the front lights of his Toyota Mark II.

The rain that poured heavily that night prevented him from knowing what was taking place outside, he woke up and prepared to drive off to work but to his shock, the car had holes staring right at him. Otim says all the parts that had been stolen are very expensive to replace and he has since parked the car till he replaces all that has been stolen.

Trailing your car
Most of the cars that fall victim to vandalism are usually trailed by the thieves who get to know the pattern of the driver. Sometimes they target busy spots where revellers usually park their cars by the roadside. They go and make merry leaving the cars sometimes unattended to.

Some night spots around town have since hired security services to help guard their customer’s cars. Isaac Ssejombwe, an executive at Asylum bar and lounge says they employed guards to help customers park and also protect the cars.

This move, he says, has reduced vandalism of the clients’ cars. However, Ssenkumbi also asserts that the thieves use various tricks when trailing their victims. He says they simply learn that the
car is unattended to and then they pounce on it. Some look out for things such as alarm systems in the cars to avoid alerting the owners of the car.

He also warns against people parking their cars and leaving them unattended. The police spokesperson says the thieves who are very elusive in their ways sometimes watch the way you park your car.

When you leave the car, one person rushes to check if any doors are open while the others keep an eye on you. Many people who park their cars hurriedly hoping to do a short errand and come back quickly, have found their cars vandalised.
 
Beware where you park
Ssenkumbi also says that sometimes the vandals plan with the security guards who aid them in their motive. This usually happens during big music concerts. Such crowded and big venues are usually hunting grounds for the thieves.

The biggest market for all the stolen car parts is Kisekka Market. In some scenarios, the victims have been shocked after the spare parts dealers try to sell to them their very own car parts with numbers engraved on them. Ssenkumbi notes that most of all the stolen parts end up in garages, especially Kisekka market, which is a big market for most of the stolen car parts.

Which are the most stolen parts and why?

Car vandals usually steal detachable parts the car which are on demand. These parts include headlamps, indicators, radio systems and side mirrors.

Sulaiman Kirimanyi, a mechanic based at Kisekka Market says spare parts, especially for the Japanese cars, are very much on demand given the fact that they cars are very common on our roads. Suula adds that thieves usually target these parts because they are very expensive and have ready market.
 
The tricks used

Another trick he says the thieves employ is spraying the parts to change their colour which heavily disguises them.

When it comes to vandalising cars parked at people’s residences, these vandals have changed tactics. Besides poisoning dogs or spraying chloroform on guards, some jump over wall fences and strip bare the targeted car parked in the compound. Others, throw alarm igniting things such as a moving cat. When you are alerted by the alarm and only see a cat near your car don’t ignore the small animal.

It could be that this cat is not alone. First of all, do you have any cats in the neighbourhood? Even so, don’t take chances. When you ignore this cat, there are chances that the robbers will find ways of tampering with the alarm system and continue vandalising your car as you sleep soundly.