Vulnerable motorists’ cars are regularly hijacked or invaded by rogue members of ZRP or just individuals dressed in police uniforms – accusing the motorist of a variety of offences. The motorist is usually easily intimidated with threats of arrest, car impounding, etc. and bullied into emptying his/her wallet or purse. The rogues disappear into the crowd leaving the motorist poorer and traumatised by the experience. This can happen anywhere around our cities and towns however is a frequent occurrence in the Harare CBD – especially in the radius of Central police station.
The starting point to avoiding this situation is to deny them access to your vehicle. Our advice:
- Remove the element of surprise. Lock your car door AT ALL TIMES – with an emphasis on AT ALL TIMES!
- Breathe and keep thinking. You have rights and will not be physically harmed – you just have to get through the next few minutes.
- Connect with those who can help you. These include WhatsApp traffic groups – get a message out on your group and be assured of assistance and support.
We strongly recommend the Help24Seven mobile phone app. Press the EMERGENCY button for three seconds and your location and contact details will be shared with the Control Room, who will promptly call you to assist with your situation. The team will keep checking with emergency services and updating you until they arrive. For more information visit Help24Seven Emergency Services or call Rodney on cell/WhatsApp 0772 320 090.
Anti-smash and grab tinting is the best defence against a “smash and grab” attack. The film creates an invisible barrier that slows access to the vehicle, giving you more time to escape. In the event of an accident the film holds broken glass in one place and shields occupants from flying shards of glass. For professional supply and fitment we recommend one of our volunteers in the Radio Removal Campaign for Senior Citizens Radio Removal Campaign
Mohammed and his Audiocity Team have been real champions during the Campaign and are at 117 King George Road, Avondale. Cell/WhatsApp 0776 243 484.
Young motorists will benefit greatly from attending a Defensive Driving Course and for this we strongly recommend Drive Sense. Founder and trainer, Rene’ can be contacted on cell/WhatsApp 0775 481 619 or info@drivesense.co.zw.
Above all, remember to lock your car doors – at all times.
Safe journeys,
Sean Q. and the Big Sky Team
March 2025
