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Company Profile John Pearson and Associates (Pty) Ltd was established in 2006 to provide a pre-eminent loss adjusting and surveying business throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Our expertise in Loss Adjusting is complimented by first class investigative and intelligence Services specializing in all Jewellers Block, Specie and other crime related business.
Project Overview After dealing with numerous truck losses on behalf of Zurich Insurance Company South Africa and other insurance companies, we felt that something needed to be done to try and recover some of the vehicles stolen, rather than simply dealing with the circumstances surrounding the loss and adjusting the Insured's claims. No recoveries were being made. We discussed a potential project with Zurich Insurance Company South Africa Limited and with their consent, we were assigned two broking companies within the Gauteng region to run a trial project. We requested they inform their clients to advise us of a loss as soon as possible when it occurred so that we could activate our informers to attempt to locate the whereabouts of the stolen vehicle.
Project Overview (Continued) As a result of this project which commenced in August 2008. Our initiative have saved Insurers a total amount of R 40,972,597.00 from recoveries made in South Africa and neighbouring countries. We detail below an overview of our successes since the commencement of this project. The above figures reflect our successes up to March 2010
Truck Loss Statistics We are able to readily request and obtain statistics from our sources within the South African Police Services providing a general overview of Hot Spot Areas throughout the country and, more specifically, cluster groups within each province.
Truck Loss Statistics (Continued) We are also able to obtain information as to methods currently being used when hijacking vehicles. Refer example below.
Early warning and response We respectfully request the brokers communicate our initiative with their clients and emphasize the importance of informing our office as soon as possible after a loss has been discovered. Once the information has been obtained, we immediately notify all of our contacts throughout South Africa informing them of the loss so that observations can be made along various routes leading to known borders with neighbouring countries. On receipt of a notification, we immediately dispatch an investigation team to the site where the loss had occurred in order to record a statement from the driver or site manager and obtain additional information. This information is used for further investigation purposes.
Early warning and response (Continued) If any leads are discovered at the time of our initial meeting, further investigations will be made until such time as the vehicle is either recovered or we can conclusively determine that there are no further prospects for recovery. Along with our contacts within South Africa, we have also aligned ourselves with the Protection and Security Services Land Exports of Entry Departments which are located in all neighbouring countries to assist us in recovering vehicles.
Modus Operandi The following, is a description of different modus operandi currently being used by the criminal element when posing as Police Officers. SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE INVOLVEMENT: 1 A white Citi Golf with a blue light positioned on the dashboard is normally driven alongside the target vehicle. The occupants of the Citi Golf instruct the driver of the other vehicle to pull over and stop. Once the driver complies, the perpetrators in the Citi Golf proceed to the driver’s door and produce a firearm. The driver / crew are then removed from the targeted vehicle and forced into the Citi Golf and taken away. The criminals normally keep the driver / crew for approximately 5 hours before releasing them in a remote area.
Modus Operandi (Continued) SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE INVOLVEMENT: 2 Increasing numbers of hijackings are being committed in South Africa by individuals dressed in South African Police uniforms. These individuals are known to drive unmarked vehicles. Once again the perpetrators drive alongside the target vehicle, wave the driver down and indicate he pull the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle is then hijacked as detailed above.
Modus Operandi (Continued) SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE INVOLVEMENT: 3 Criminals are now making use of a South African Police Flying Squad vehicle along the Delmas to Witbank road. The occupants are normally dressed in Police uniform. The culprits sound their siren indicating to the driver to pull over and stop. The perpetrators then conduct a roadworthy inspection on the truck, produce a firearm and overpower the driver of the truck. A second vehicle arrives shortly thereafter and the driver / crew are normally placed in the back seat of this vehicle before they are driven away to a secluded area.
Modus Operandi(Continued) CRIMINALS WHO POINT OUT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLES: 1 Criminals drive past a vehicle and point out a potential problem with the mechanical horse, trailers or load. The driver will eventually stop to investigate the problem. Whilst he is inspecting the vehicle, the hijackers apprehend him.
Modus Operandi(Continued) CRIMINALS WHO POINT OUT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLES: 2 Criminals drive past the target truck and point out a potential problem to the driver before driving off in the opposite direction. The driver of the truck who can no longer see the first vehicle, continues driving until he feels safe and pulls over too inspect his vehicle. Whilst stationary, a second vehicle arrives on site and parks in front of the truck. The suspects within this vehicle confront the driver, whilst the occupants of the initial vehicle who pointed out the problem, return to where the truck had stopped. The second group immediately begin to try and locate the tracking device before attempting to remove it.
Activities that normally follow a hijacking incident After investigating numerous losses on behalf of Insurers, we have observed a pattern whereby suspects normally pre-plan to provide them with sufficient time to either move the vehicle across a border or into a secure yard. Our reports reveal that the driver / crew are usually removed from the mechanical horse and placed into a getaway vehicle. The hijackers then interrogate the driver / crew on their knowledge of the vehicle and the whereabouts of the tracking device. Finally the driver / crew are placed in the back seat of the hijackers’ vehicle and driven around at random for some time before the vehicle is eventually stopped at a secluded location.
Activities that normally follow a hijacking incident (Continued) The hijacked driver / crew are removed from the vehicle and usually taken to a nearby field where they are told to lie face down. Their hands and feet are bound and one suspect is generally left to guard them whilst the other perpetrators return to the mechanical horse. After the suspects have made suitable arrangements to either cross a border-post or store the stolen vehicle, they contact the group member who is guarding the driver by cellular telephone. The suspect guarding the driver / crew then instruct them that he intends moving away to urinate and that they should not try and escape or they will be shot. The suspect moves away and makes good his escape in a vehicle sent to collect him. In most cases the suspects leave the driver / crew in a secluded field.
Precautions In our view many of these robberies / hijackings could have been prevented if the drivers had received training on what to look for and on how to use their vehicle tracking devices correctly. The tracking companies provide this service and the drivers and owners of vehicles should be able to use all the benefits of the tracking system at any time if they feel at all threatened. Should an incident take place, the drivers should immediately make contact with their operators and inform them of the incident so that an immediate investigation can be initiated. If the drivers, at some stage, become aware of any suspicious vehicle activity they should be instructed to immediately make contact with their operators, who in turn can contact our offices or the tracking company and request assistance.
Precautions (Continued) It would be extremely useful if the drivers could be trained to identify and record the registration numbers of any suspicious vehicle activity on their routes and report these to their operators. This data should be held on file for further investigation, if required. Vehicle ownership details can be readily obtained against a recorded registration number and these details could possibly assist with ongoing investigations. If the vehicle operators are in a position to contact us, we ask that they alert us as soon as possible so that we can distribute information regarding the loss to a number of our contacts throughout the country.
Precautions (Continued) We currently have contacts with: • Officials assigned to various weighbridges • Officials manning border posts • Flying Squad members • Hijacking Unit members • Station Commanders (SAPS) • Investigators • Individuals at Toll Plaza’s Whenever suspicious activity occurs drivers should be taught to hide their cellular telephones within the mechanical horse. We can then trace this cell phone number inside the vehicle until such a time as it is located by the suspects and deactivated.
“Hot spot” routes We have included two maps with this presentation for your information. These maps highlight some of the high-risk routes on which numerous hijacking incidents have occurred in the past. Gauteng Region
“Hot spot” Routes(Continued) Mpumalanga Region
Contact details John Pearson & Associates (Pty) Ltd have been actively involved in investigating this type of loss for many years and have recovered a number of vehicles utilizing the contacts and agents at our disposal. We have a good relationship with senior individuals within the South African Police Services and often share information which has lead to a number of arrests and recoveries. We are in the process of visiting various outlying areas to expand our network with the aim of assisting you and your clients in recovering vehicles following any future hijacking or theft incident. We are available on our cellular telephones 24/7.
Contact details (Continued) We are contactable on: DEDICATED HIJACK HOTLINE 071 623 5499 (All Hours) Alternatively: Office: 011 704 5158 (Tel) 011 704 6405 (Fax) John Pearson: 082 569 2906 john@jpassoc.co.za Richard Pearson: 082 332 1325 richard@jpassoc.co.za Scott Archer: 073 771 1119 scott@jpassoc.co.za Jean Pitout: 082 302 4516 jean@jpassoc.co.za Ayésha Addinall: (Secretary to R Pearson) reception@jpassoc.co.za We look forward to being of assistance to you and your clients.
