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Most drivers don’t expect to be victims of crime. However, motorists should have an emergency plan to help prepare for incidents such as criminals pretending to be police officers on the highway. Read on to discover more about the dangerous blue lights gang and how to improve your safety as a hijacking victim.

The Blue Lights Gang Syndicate

There have been reports of an alarming criminal tactic where a hijacking syndicate poses as traffic police officers to kidnap, hijack and rob unsuspecting drivers. Most of these crimes have been reported to be on the highways at night. However, these types of crimes can happen to anyone at any time.

Tips to Follow to Remain Safe During a Hijacking

Nobody gets into a car and expects to experience a worst-case scenario like a hijacking. However, crime stats suggest that hijackings are still prevalent and account for more than 50% of vehicle thefts nationwide. It’s crucial to navigate the unexpected and stay prepared for ways to improve your safety when faced with imminent danger.

Don’t Worsen the Situation

It’s normal to think of retaliating when you feel like your life or valuables are being threatened. However, the general rule of thumb is to avoid anything that can worsen the situation and put you or your loved ones in escalated danger. You should consider surrendering your car and doing what the hijackers say.

Don’t Make Eye Contact

Did you know that making eye contact might worsen your situation? The hijackers might take it as a threat that you are trying to take note of their features for police reporting after the incident. It’s important to avoid direct eye contact and focus on taking mental notes of critical things such as their accent, voice, and how many of them are present at the scene to improve your chances of accurate reporting when the police arrive.

Try to Remain Calm 

If you have your loved ones with you in the car, you should remember to stay as calm as you possibly can. In most cases, hijackers use violent means to force you off the road or rely on unpredictable methods to endanger your life. You should always think of ways to get yourself and loved ones out of the situation without harm.

Comply with the Hijackers

You should try your best not to provoke your perpetrators. For instance, if your car is in gear, slowly shift to neutral mode and raise your hands. You should show that you are complying with every instruction given.

Avoid Sudden Movements 

Criminals are most likely to expect their victims to try to be heroes. Their first instinct is to perceive sudden movement as a threat. It’s crucial to avoid any sudden movements to reduce the risk of them responding with life-threatening aggression.

Staying Vigilant 

Hijacking crimes vary from province to province. Research suggests that the spike in these crimes is closely related to business opportunities that impact the logistics landscape. As a result, specific vehicle models have a higher chance of being stolen than others.

Emergency solutions like the FREE-to-use iER App are available to ensure your safety if you are a hijacking victim. Instead of only relying on your car tracker, you can use immediate features such as the silent alert and panic buttons, which send a signal to a highly equipped response centre that you can access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no matter where you are in the country. The best thing about the iER App is that you can use it to enhance safety for your business and as an individual.

How to Handle Being Stopped by Blue Lights at Night

• Slow down, drive at least 40km/h, and turn your hazard lights on.
• Don’t stop driving. Instead, you should extend your arm to gesture them to follow you.
• Send an instant alert from your FREE-to-use iER App and enable your GPS location.
• Drive to the nearest police or petrol station with CCTV cameras.
• If possible, note the registration number of the police vehicle that’s following you.
• When other police units arrive at the scene, or you reach a police station, you should explain that you felt threatened and didn’t want to risk your life by getting out of your vehicle.

It’s normal to assume that an unmarked police vehicle is conducting a routine check at night. However, this can suddenly turn into a life-threatening situation that puts you and your loved ones at risk.

Our FREE-to-use App is your trusted safety companion and provides immediate access to police units and other medical and non-medical emergency service providers to ensure you get the help you need if you happen to be a victim of a hijacking syndicate.