SOUTH AFRICA: NEW CAR ANTI - THEFT DEVICE REVEALED

(11 Dec 1998) Natural Sound With car-jackings becoming increasingly common and dangerous in South Africa, one inventor has created the ultimate car-jacking deterrent; the flame-throwing car alarm. Patented in October 1997 and available to buy now, the alarm uses gas jets to burn car- jackers alive. South African inventor Charles Fourie is about to turn up the heat on criminals. Car-jackers on the streets of Johannesburg now have to contend with his invention, the Blaster anti-hijacking system. SOUNDBITE: (English) “In South Africa, violent crime has received a lot of publicity in past couple of years. There's absolutely nothing that people can do against attacks on vehicles. Soem systems have been devised that will recover you car. Like satellite tracking. This system differs from that; it'll stop the hijacker in his tracks. He will never get your car, and you'll never need it recovered in the first place“ SUPER CAPTION: Charles Fourie, inventor The system is remarkably simple to operate. SOUNDBITE: (English) “This car is a coded key pad, or just a key switch on the dashboard. When it's turned it'll show that the system is now armed and ready for activation. Underneath here we have a footswitch; the system will function for as long as you keep it down. And just quickly to explain how it works. When this foot switch is pressed, two things happen. One, a 14-thousand volt spark would appear here in this nozzle, and then you have these four jets hereshooting out gas. Liquid gas from the gas bottle in the boot. Liquid gas, as soon as it exits over the spark here, will ignite and a ball of flame will shoot out of both side of the vehicle. Incapacitating the hijackers immediately.“ SUPER CAPTION: Charles Fourie, inventor Even more extraordinary is that Fourie's harsh method is legal, as long as it is done in self-defence and the operator can prove his or her life was in danger. Fourie and his partners recently patent their design and are currenlty installing the Blaster anti-hijacking system in Gauteng province. About 25 vehicles have been fitted so far, but no one has had the opportunity to test the system for real. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: