Police in Cape Town's central business district (CBD) have warned that there has been an increase in the number of criminals who have been committing car thefts by jamming car alarms in vehicles parked the city center, according to a post on Arrive Alive's website, quoting an article in the Cape Times.

The criminals block the cars’ central locking signals with a special electronic device.

The Central City Improvement District (CCID) said the trend was becoming so common that an average of 10 criminals were arrested per month for this crime.

The men watched motorists parking their cars and when they activated their central locking, pressed their device, which blocked the signal of the car’s remote control.

While the owner thought his car was locked, it was in fact unlocked, and criminals could get into the car and steal what they want.

Alarm jamming has been reported in other big cities around the country, but started in Cape Town in October