Smash-And-Grab....What To Do (and Not Do)

The topic of smash-and-grabs has become a hot potato once again! It's one of those petty crimes that seem so mundane and obvious, but can be devastating for the victims! I was asked by a past student to address this by putting out some advice to unsuspecting potential victims, especially women, who seem to be the main target for these criminals. 

Now, anyone who has ever been exposed to the media, victims of smash-and-grabs, or even just marketing spam from security companies, you would have read or heard the following phrases over and over again:  "Be more vigilant!", "Keep your eyes open!", “Don’t use your phone while waiting at a traffic light (or robot, as they are referred to as in South Africa, EXCLUSIVELY)”, "Don't keep  valuables visible through the windows!”, “Lock valuable in the boot of the car!", etc.. We have all heard these cautions and have even repeated it to others as safety advice. 

However, even I, a self-proclaimed, dedicated self-defence student and teacher, have on occasions failed to observe these simple awareness and avoidance tips. As a matter of fact, just the other night, I caught myself looking at Facebook on the phone whilst at a red traffic light, only to be awakened out of my zoombie-like trance by an impatient driver behind me when the robot turned green! I was lucky this time as no potential smash-and-grabber was standing anywhere around me to do the dirty deed (or perhaps it was because I was a man, which was perhaps a sufficient deterrent). The key point here is that I recognised it and have made a conscious effort to correct it for next time. It is this self-awareness of being able to identify where in myself I have fallen short and where it can be improved upon, that will hopefully help me survive the next ordeal.

Micro-awareness is being aware of your immediate surroundings and using predominately the 2 of the 5 senses (sight and hearing) to interpret your environment around you. There is also the 6th sense which we very often neglect. This is the gut-feeling or the intuition that taps into our sub-conscious mind (which, by the way, is able to process a gazillion time more seemly unrelated pieces of data than the conscious mind - fact), and allows us to experience moments of ease or discomfort when in or around people, things or environments that may or may not be a potential threat to us. We don't listen to this often enough because we have been TAUGHT how to forget them! Anyway, that is a topic on its own and will be explored in a later treatise. 

The final awareness is that of macro-awareness and this relates to knowing about the area that you are travelling through, or the basic modus operandi of these smash-and-grabbers. Crime, being hot news items for any news agency, have a constant feed of latest hi-jacking hotspots, home burglaries stats, and of course, smash-and-grab incidents. Keep an eye out for these articles or news items; speak to people who may have been victims or know of victims for insight. 

The next thing is to AVIOD becoming a victim. Do this by making yourself a hard-target! For instance, install safety film on your car’s windows; don't accept any hands-outs from people at robots; look around you when stationery (don’t be shy to look around to the drivers along-side you when you're at a red traffic light - smile even :); avoid those areas that are known to be smash-and-grab hotspots. Avoidance techniques and strategies are numerous, and one needs only ask the very logical question, "How can I avoid being a victim of a smash-and-grab", to come up with a few personal and effective techniques. 

Lastly, ACTION! If you unluckily become the target of a smash-and-grabber, react appropriately to the immediate situation. This instinctively is the flight or fight scenario, which if you have the opportunity, is to get away from the immediate threat. Don't think about what is being stolen (because all that is of value SHOULD HAVE BEEN locked away in the boot in the first place, or at the very least, adequately concealed). The fight scenario is another response that you could employ, however,  just be wary that without the proper training, you can be over-powered very easily by an enraged attacker, or worse still, they bring out a weapon or more (gun, knife, crowbar, stick, bottle) to counter any resistant force. This is especially applicable if you have this sudden urge to want to retrieve your stolen possessions and you irrationally give chase! Take a few seconds to regain your breathe (as your body will be in shock) and logical thought. Then, ask yourself, "Are my stolen possessions worth risking my life for?" In this day and age, I can say that most people I have encountered have insurance that cover both their material possessions and their life, with the former being something that can be claimed for multiple times resulting in an increased premium, but the latter is a one-time claim offer only with the ultimate price- your life. Think about it. 

Most smash-and-grabbers hope for the third (and worse) reaction by their unsuspecting victim, which is namely to "freeze". In the sudden shock of the moment, a victim could be left gasping in disbelief as to what just occurred (WTF???), long after the smash-and-grabber has smashed the window, reached inside your car, grabbed the item of desire, and hastily makes a departure into the bushes or amongst the traffic. 

Whatever the action is, be sure to address it accordingly AFTER the event has occurred and you are in a place of safety. Some people can very easily slip into a negative mind-set, become frustrated or angry, get disappointed or despondent, or start blaming the government, the police, themselves, their husbands, or wives or even mother-in-laws. The comments are usually proceeded by, "This f****, god-forsaken country that has gone to sh*ts!..blah blah blah..". Address the incident objectively: Did you take the necessary precautions? Where you aware? Did you do everything possible to avoid? Did you execute the appropriate action to ensure the safety of yourself and loved ones? Seek help from confidants and/or professionals that will support you positively while trying to deal with what happened to you. And be sure to be gentle on yourself.  Although it can be seen as a petty crime, the effects can be long-lasting and detrimental to your future well-being and state of mind. Be proactive and don't let an incident like this prevent you from living out your full potential! 

To conclude, below is summery of information that I hope you will use to empower yourself:

Who are most vulnerable?

• Single drivers with visible valuable on the passenger seat, dashboard or floor.
• Female drivers, as they are seen to be less resistant and less likely to pursue a smash-and-grabber.
• Distracted drivers, who are busy on their phones, with a cigarette, or listening to loud music.
• Unattended vehicles, away from the crowds and with visible valuables in the car. 

Methods used and Modus Operandi: 

• Areas where traffic is often congested and where vehicles will remain stationary for a while.
• Areas where an easy getaway is possible and/or pursuit is difficult. 
• Smash-and-grabbers often work in pairs or more - one to distract the attention of the driver (posing as a vendor or beggar), while the other(s) will smash and grab from the passenger side.
• Objects are sometimes placed in the road and motorists make the mistake of leaving their vehicles to remove these objects. 
• Cellular phones have also enabled smash-and-grabbers to identify potential victims from a bridge or advantages position, and to relay messages to their accomplice further along the road. 

Awareness and Avoidance Tips to prevent becoming a smash-and-grab victim:

• Consider safety film (anti-smash-and-grab film) or even window tinting for your car's windows.
• Leave your window open slightly (approximately 3 cm, but less than 5cm).This makes the glass more flexible and more resistant against shattering if they’re struck by a sharp object. 
• Lock your doors.
• Never open doors or windows (fully) or for strangers. Less than 3cm of window is sufficient. 
• Avoid getting involved in discussions with street vendors, flyer-distributors or window cleaner at intersections. 
• Be constantly on the lookout for suspicious looking characters. 
• Always be conscious of your surroundings, especially when stationery. 
• Remain vigilant when coming to an intersection or stopping your vehicle.
• If you encounter obstacles such as rocks or tyres do not get out of your vehicle to remove them.
• Leave a gap between you and the car in front of you to give you room to manoeuvre, should something happen. 
• Be wary if you see broken glass lying on the road, as it may indicate a smash-and-grab hotspot. 
• Hide your valuables - Car floors, dashboards and seats are not good places to leave items.  
• Alternatively, lock your valuables away in your boot if you do not need them for the duration of your travel.

If you see a smash-and-grab incident taking place or about to take place:

• Be a responsible citizen and do something!
• Hoot and point, if you see suspicious characters walking around a fellow driver's car, or if the smash-and-grab is in progress.
• Assist the victim ONLY if you have ensured your (and your loved ones’) safety first.
• Don't give chase UNLESS you have had proper training to deal with such situations. Even then, I still caution against it. 

To conclude, the only caution I give here is to not get overly paranoid! It's easy to get caught up in the media-frenzy and the gossip talks at the office water-cooler. I am a firm believer of self-fulfilling prophecies - If you constantly believe that a smash-and-grab will happen to you and you keep on focusing on the negativity of an incident ("It will happen to me! I will be a victim! I am terrified! I don't know what to do!”, etc..), then chances are, it will come into your life sooner or later. 

Be proactive. Take the necessary steps to not become a victim. Get educated. Become empowered. And ultimately, live and engage life positively. 

Till next time…

WH

This article is written using the 3 principles taught by the Tri-Infinity System of Defence, Defence Unlimited's tools for situational analysis and resolution. The principles of  AWARENESS, AVOIDANCE and ACTION is easy to learn and apply to ANY crime-related incident. 

To see a smash-and-grab incident in action: 

And here is the getaway from another angle, click here.