Rebecca

The thieves in the case of the woman in London who was attacked and then had her Mercedes 4x4 stolen were counting on the fact that a driver involved in an accident would stop. But the law permits a driver not to stop "in extraordinary circumstances". Edmund King of the RAC Foundation says "If somebody bumps into your car and you are suspicious - don't stop. Drive to a police station, or dial 999."

Well that's OK then ... but how are you supposed to know if the "bump" is suspicious or not ... ??????

The motoring organisation says there's been 100 carjackings in the past 15 months. The crimes appear to be most prevalent in the West Midlands, Salford, Bristol, Newcastle and London.

Mr King warned that some police forces did not pay enough attention to carjacking because it was not recognised as a separate offence.

Well that's a big comfort then. No wonder so many people want to take steps to defend themselves in the event of such an incident occuring.

Most frequently targeted are BMWs and Mercedes .... so we're OK then (not).

SWRTWannabe

Ah, but David Blunkett has recognised the problem and said anyone caught car jacking would be sent down for a long time. Which was good of him.

Just gotta catch 'em first

Hoppy

Blunkett's pronouncements were reassuring - until you think a little deeper. It's fine political rhetoric, and what did he actually say? He said if you get caught carjacking then you're going down for a long stretch. I think that has always been the case.

In other words, he's saying we can do bu99er all about this problem except make empty threats/promises to make people feel better.

I think the best option is to look after yourself as best you can, although this has also backfired in the past. For example, car thefts went crazy, so we, and manufacturers, made cars very hard to nick. So the easier option now is to carjack, or visit you at home and ask politely for the keys - while holding a knife to your kid, just to make sure you don't try anything on. I'm not sure if that's really a step forward.

So now we fit BlackJax and Trackers, which I think are great and give the police a chance (which, realistically, they don't really have at the mo). But then there's always the fear of retribution...

Yours in hope

Richard.

DavidRB

Check that your doors are locked, keep the engine running and the car in gear. When they walk up to your car to 'apologise', wind your window down half an inch and say "I'm terribly sorry, but I'd like you to follow me to the nearest police station". If they get abusive or try to open your door, it's 'suspicious' so just drive off.

Rebecca

I still think I favour this option

From pitbulls on the back seat to flamethrowers, Johannesburg drivers are arming themselves with ever-more desperate defence systems.

Satellite tracking systems, immobilisers, panic alarms and bulletproof windows are the norm. Keeping a vehicle permanently unwashed doesn't hurt, and running red lights is widespread.

But the most elaborate anti-carjacking kit is the Blaster - a device that throws a 6ft-high fireball at a would-be thief without damaging the paintwork.

The Blaster, which costs £300 to buy and fit, works by squirting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from two nozzles beneath the car's front doors, fed by gas bottles in the boot. Triggered by a pedal at the driver's feet, the wall of flame gives motorists enough time to escape.

Two years ago, at a Johannesburg crossroads, a carjacker brandishing a child's gun was burned to death by a crude home-made flamethrower. Drivers who injure or kill attackers must be able to show they were justified in using such force.

The Blaster is sold legally in South Africa and its inventor, Charl Fourie, denies his invention is capable of causing death. He said: "This is definitely non-lethal. A person is not going to stand there for a minute while you roast him alive. But it could certainly blind him and scar him for life, for sure."

South Africa's crime epidemic shows no sign of abating, and the security industry is one of the country's most prosperous.

Mr Fourie said demand for the Blaster was "huge". Drivers can opt for a pepper spray version.

More commonplace deterrents include firearms in the map pocket, guard dogs on the back seat ( particularly popular with convertible-car drivers), and stickers warning of curses being put on thieves in up to 11 South African languages. But Richard Brussowa former South African police officer who now runs anti-carjacking courses, said drivers had become victims of their own security.

"Parked cars have never been harder to steal, which means thieves have to take them while we are driving them," he explained.

Mr Brussow discourages the use of firearms, pepper spray and flame-throwing devices, saying that they made carjackers more desperate. "We will get to a point where thieves know they are no longer safe to go up to a car and threaten the driver. So, instead of giving you the option of surrendering your vehicle, they will just shoot you first."

Adrian F

How long before trackers and BlackJax causes them to kidnap you with the car and then dispose of you later where they have time to deal with the tracker and other security devices? This like all crime seems to be going only one way

Hoppy

Adrian, I have fears along the same lines. Even if you've got BlackJax, don't have a Clifford security sticker on the window!