New data from Cape Town’s Metro Police CCTV network shows a clear pattern in where and when smash-and-grab criminals strike, and the numbers are rising.
According to the City of Cape Town, between July 2024 and May 2025, 215 smash-and-grab incidents were recorded via the City’s CCTV system.
While exact numbers are likely higher, many incidents go unreported or occur outside the network’s coverage, the available data points to a few areas that consistently emerge as danger zones.
Smash-and-grab hotspots in the City
The most dangerous stretch, according to the data, is the corridor between Bonteheuwel and Langa, a long-time hotspot.
But recent months have seen a shift. As law enforcement pressure grows in certain zones, criminals are relocating, and other intersections and suburbs are becoming increasingly active.
Here are the other major hotspots in Cape Town based on incident data and reports to the Public Emergency Communication Centre:
- Leonsdale
- Beaconvale
- Foreshore
- Elsies River Industria
- Epping Industria
- Milnerton
- Philippi
Many of these locations are clustered in the same general zones, making targeted enforcement more effective, but also more challenging as criminals adapt.
When it happens
The timing of these crimes isn’t random. Most incidents happen during late afternoons and early evenings, especially over weekends.
According to Alderman JP Smith, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, this is when motorists are tired, distracted, or relaxed, and valuables are often visible on seats after shopping trips or errands.
“These opportunistic criminals strike when people are perhaps less vigilant after a long day at work or stuck in peak-hour traffic,” Alderman Smith noted.
The City also provided some tips to reduce the risk of a smash-and-grab incident. These include:
- Keeping valuables out of sight and not on seats inside the vehicle – putting them in the boot or underneath the seat, making sure it’s not visible
- Locking all doors and closing windows
- Being cautious, vigilant, and aware of your surroundings
- Being wary of people loitering about at traffic lights or intersections
- Being aware of people attempting to give you pamphlets or sell you goods, as not all are legitimate vendors.
Have you been a victim of a smash-and-grab?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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