Criminals are targeting a new valuable item in SA homes
There's a new item on criminals' radar, and they may be looking for it in your home.
South Africa's high crime rate remains a serious problem, and this new trend is adding fuel to the fire.
According to the latest Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey (GPSJS), housebreaking is still the most common crime affecting households in 2024/25.
The survey estimates around 1.5 million incidents during the year, impacting nearly 6% of households. On an individual level, theft of personal property was the most widespread, with about 1.2 million victims.
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Yet, most of these crimes go unreported, as close to 70% of victims choose not to go to the authorities.
"Crime remains one of the defining challenges of life in South Africa, cutting across geography, gender and economic status," Statistics South Africa said.
Criminals targeting a new valuable item
Now, South Africans are being warned that criminals are increasingly targeting valuable artworks in homes, galleries, and other institutions.
What was once unusual is now becoming more common, with both planned heists and opportunistic break-ins on the rise.
According to Gail Bosch, Product Head at iTOO Artinsure, art crime is becoming more sophisticated and damaging in South Africa. She said it has reached a point where the industry must move beyond reactive coverage and toward proactive risk intelligence.
"Specialist insurance is going to play a critical role in protecting our creative legacy," Bosch added.
Several incidents this year highlight the shift.
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As reported by BusinessTech, in Pringle Bay, sculptures worth over R1 million were stolen in what appeared to be a carefully executed operation.
The thieves disabled CCTV cameras and targeted pieces by Anton Smit and Janko de Beer, suggesting insider knowledge.
In Pretoria, criminals hijacked a vehicle on the N1 and made off with 31 paintings by nine celebrated South African artists. The heist shocked the creative community.
Public collections haven't been spared either. The Johannesburg Art Gallery has lost artworks valued in the hundreds of millions over the years to theft, neglect, and corruption.
Bosch explained that while accidental damage is still the most common reason for insurance claims, theft and natural disasters cause the most devastating and permanent losses.
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"These events not only strip institutions and collectors of irreplaceable assets but also undermine public trust," she said.
Art theft in South Africa tends to fall into three categories:
- Targeted theft: insider knowledge, works resurfacing years later
- Opportunistic theft: during break-ins or poorly secured galleries
- Recyclable-material theft: sculptures melted for scrap metal, destroyed forever
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