Hijacking of trucks with freight : a criminological analysis

Abstract

A considerable amount of research has been done regarding the hijacking of passenger vehicles. Little however, has been written on the hijacking of trucks with freight.

The purpose of the research was to describe the nature, occurrence and extent of the hijacking of trucks with freight, the persons involved (this includes the victims and the offenders) and the impact these crimes have on the crime scene in South Africa. The research also aimed to develop a criminological model for prevention, based on the modus operandi of the offenders. Based on the theories explaining violent and economic crimes (e.g. anomie, differential association and sub-culture), an attempt was also made to explain the hijacking of trucks with freight.