Watch Your Valuables In Traffic Jams

Apr 14, 2004

JAMES was stuck in a traffic jam on Kampala Road when a shabbily dressed pedestrian pretended to show him something on his vehicle.

JAMES was stuck in a traffic jam on Kampala Road when a shabbily dressed pedestrian pretended to show him something on his vehicle.
The boy was pointing at the rear tyre on the right side as if to indicate that it has a problem.
James tried to ignore him but the boy insisted and banged the boot of the vehicle. He bent over to see what was wrong and on realising that there was no problem, he drove on.
However, he realised that many people’s attention was focused on him, some laughing. It is only then that he realised that his mobile phone which had been lying on the passenger seat was missing, as well as a few other valuables.
The boy and his colleagues had stolen them! There are many such thieves in town today and motorists need to take care of their valuables while driving in traffic jams, slowing down at railway crossings or stationary at traffic lights.
The thieves work in a groups of two or three. They walk through the vehicles to see which ones could have some carelessly placed valuable items, especially mobile phones, hand bags or cameras.
These are normally placed either on the passenger seat or in the back seat. The intention is to divert the driver’s attention to another direction, so that the other thief can snatch the property undetected.
They snatch them so fast and in most instances the driver does not even realise he has lost anything until he has reached his destination.
In other instances, you will see the item being snatched but you cannot come out of the vehicle and make a chase because you are in a traffic jam.
Other thieves become even more bold. They open the doors of the vehicle and sit with the driver as they rob him! They may either put him at ‘gun point’ usually using imitation guns or even mere fingers, or knives.
This kind of robbery is more common in city suburbs such as Kibuye, Makindye, Bugolobi and Bwaise and under the cover of darkness.
Such thugs waylay their victims on road spots where there are potholes which force motorists to slow down. It is also common at the railway-crossing on Port bell Road near Bugolobi ice plant. Some people, especially women, have had their jewelry snatched while in a traffic jam.

The thugs pass their hands through the vehicle window and grab the jewelry, often so roughly that the victim is left with bruises, torn ears or deep nail cuts on the neck. It is therefore advisable that motorists should keep the doors of their vehicles locked, and windows up whenever the vehicle is in motion.
You can raise the window to such a level as to leave only space for fresh air or you could completely close the vehicle and use the air conditioning system.
Valuable properties should also not be placed in exposed places. They should either be put on the floor of the car, or in the boot.
When someone attempts to divert your attention by showing you something wrong on your vehicle, just ignore him.
Ends

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