Police have warned Uitenhage residents of a possible vehicle theft syndicate operating in the area.
Almost 10 cars were stolen in Uitenhage in August, four of them just this week.
In some cases the vehicles were abandoned, but others are still missing.
Port Elizabeth police said that they had not seen a spike in vehicle thefts.
Police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart said the main target appeared to be vehicles parked outside homes and flats, on the street, and at busy shopping complexes.
“Uitenhage police have noticed a sudden increase in the theft of motor vehicles, especially during the past week.
“It is critical for owners to take precautions to avoid their vehicles being stolen,” she said.
“Owners are advised to park inside garages and instal additional security systems.
“Motor vehicle thieves mainly focus on older types of vehicles such as a Toyota Tazz, Toyota Corolla, VW Golf, Isuzu bakkie, Ford Ranger and a Nissan Sentra,” Swart said.
This was likely due to the older models’ more outdated security systems, she said.