“Followed, Watched, Targeted”: The Scary Rise of Follow-Home Robberies in Johannesburg

If you’ve ever had that unsettling feeling that a car might be trailing you, you’re not imagining things. And in 2025 Johannesburg, it could mean far more than paranoia.

Security experts from Community Active Protection (CAP) have issued a chilling warning: follow-home robberies are on the rise in the city. These aren’t random or opportunistic hits. They’re planned, coordinated, and designed to strike when you’re at your most vulnerable – in your driveway, unlocking your gate, or coming home from the shops.

Not Just Another Crime Story, It’s Happening Everywhere

The CAP safety bulletin landed this week with a stern tone: these are highly organised attacks. Victims are typically chosen after being seen in public places, perhaps shopping centres, ATMs, or luxury car parks and then silently trailed all the way home.

And it doesn’t matter whether you’re using your own car or a ride-hailing service, attackers often use multiple vehicles, tailing from a distance and waiting for the right moment to move.

“These criminals are calculated and methodical,” CAP stated. “They strike in routine, vulnerable moments.”

Luxury Bags, Watches, and Cash Draw Attention

A recurring thread? Visibility. Flashy watches, branded handbags, high-end cars, and noticeable cash withdrawals, these are trigger points for would-be robbers.

One Sandton resident described online how she noticed a silver sedan tailing her after a short stop at a Rosebank mall. She looped through a few roads and watched them mimic every turn. Luckily, she drove straight to a petrol station and called for help.

That kind of situational awareness, CAP says, can be the difference between safety and danger.

Driveway = Danger Zone

Statistically, your own home is where you’re most at risk. Why? Because that’s where you let your guard down. You slow down. You open gates. And you may be alone.

CAP urges Joburgers to stop assuming they’re safe once they reach their suburb. In fact, they advise the opposite: treat the last few kilometres of your drive as critical.

Before you turn into your street:

• Check for suspicious vehicles

• Circle the block if something feels off

• Never idle while waiting for a gate to open

• Use remote gate controls from a distance

• Keep panic buttons accessible

Ride-Hailing Doesn’t Make You Invisible

Think using an e-hailing service makes you less of a target? Think again. CAP says the trend shows no signs of sparing passengers. In fact, attackers may assume that e-hailing riders have just made luxury purchases, and their travel patterns can be even easier to predict.

The advice here? Always be aware of your route. Avoid waiting outside alone. If something feels wrong, it probably is.

Image 1: News24

Don’t Go Home If You’re Being Followed

Perhaps the most crucial tip of all: don’t drive straight home if you suspect you’re being followed. Your home is not a fortress – it’s a weak point if the criminals are watching.

Instead:

• Head to a busy petrol station, police station, or mall

• Stay in public view

• Call for help – CAP’s 24/7 line is 0861 227 227

Social Media Warnings and Real-Time Reports

Johannesburg residents often turn to local WhatsApp groups and community forums like Parkhurst Neighbours to share suspicious activity and real-time alerts – especially in suburbs like Morningside and Illovo, where security awareness is high. Real-time alerts about suspicious vehicles, botched follow-home attempts, and driveway ambushes are becoming regular posts.

And Joburgers are fighting back – with awareness. Changing routes. Staying alert. Not assuming routine means safety.

Bottom Line: Stay Unpredictable

CAP’s final word: “Vary your routines. Change your routes. Don’t be predictable. Safety starts with awareness.”

In a city like Joburg, we already know how to be tough. But now, more than ever, we need to be tactical too.

Also read: “This Poison is in Our Homes”: South Africans Demand Real Action on the Drug Epidemic

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Source: The Citizen

Featured Image: Vecteezy