A sudden rise in car snatching in the city of Douala is keeping taxi drivers in a state of high alert. Just last week, several of such criminal acts were reported in the city, three of which were officially confirmed. The immediate consequence is the rejection or shunning of certain passengers, even the most innocent ones, by most taxi drivers at night and seemingly suspicious persons in the day.
Among the taxis snatched and their drivers whisked off, two were Toyota Corolla and the other a Carina II around Bucavoyages in Mboppi, Central Bar in New Bell and Douche in Akwa, respectively. In each of the cases, victims allude to some women appearing to have good social standing, who hired the taxis. Shortly after kick off, the woman would order the driver to pick up her "brothers". The alleged "brothers" - often robbers - would at gunpoint throw off the driver and drive away leaving him stranded in an insecured corner.
The phenomenon has given birth to other crimes, heinous and nagging to most city dwellers. The recent strategy alludes to the Hollywood movie "Commando", where in separate instances cars are hijacked, seized and used to attack, loot a home, an individual, or a specific area of a neighbourhood. During the incident in Akwa, the driver was held captive in the vehicle, compelled by carjackers to drive them to different destinations targeted for robbery. Among the targets were a home and a personality in separate neighbourhoods, according to a cabdriver who refused to reveal his identity. Gendarmes search throughout the day and week in vain.
In case of a counterattack often the driver is abandoned at the crime scene at the mercy of a pursuing mob or an angry population who quickly take the (captive) driver for one of the robbers and lynch in spite of genuine pleas of innocence. One of the drivers reportedly sustained several injuries trying to resist the carjackers.
The fact that three of the incidents took place in broad daylight argues favourably that Douala's security is becoming questionable at all times.
