In summer, many houses and apartments are left empty, making them potential targets for burglars. Owners often only realize they have been victims of a break-in upon returning from vacation. Burglars act quickly and methodically, often following well-planned patterns. Here's how you can effectively protect yourself.
Understanding burglars' methods can help you protect your home or apartment more effectively.
1. According to crime statistics, most burglaries occur daily between 10 AM and 8 PM, when no one is home.
2. Here are some suggestions on how to protect yourself: By pretending someone is home, you can reduce the risk of a break-in. Automatic roller shutters, which you can lower via smartphone at different times during your vacation, are helpful. Additionally, noise or TV simulators can be used to give the impression that someone is watching TV or talking in the house.
3. Burglars search the house systematically, starting from where they entered, according to Munich police. If they enter through the patio door, they usually focus on the living room or bedroom. There, they often search large cabinets for valuable items. If the house has multiple floors, they may also search these, provided they feel secure enough. An advantage here is that thieves on the upper floor can hear someone entering the house in time, while the disadvantage is that the escape route may be blocked.
4. Burglars use traditional tools in their crimes!
A screwdriver: Often, a simple screwdriver from the inexpensive 30-euro class is enough to pry open windows or doors. Burglars place the tool at various points between the frame and the pivoting element and push the two parts apart.
Pliers: If the door lock protrudes slightly, thieves use large pliers to twist the lock and then open it with a pick.
A cordless drill: Burglars drill a hole in wooden windows and doors at the height of the locking mechanism next to the handle. Through this hole, they then insert a metal bar, like a bicycle spoke or a hanger from the dry cleaner, to open the handle.
A plastic flipper: A thin piece of plastic, often cut from a PET bottle, is inserted by perpetrators between the frame and the door latch until it springs open. However, this only works with unlocked doors.
Or they use their fist: Some burglars rarely smash the window pane with a clothing-protected fist and then open the window handle from the inside.
How to protect yourself: Alarm systems, mechanical security devices such as the EM3 window bolt or the V77 door bolt from Scheffinger, and video cameras can deter burglars from entering your home.
5. A burglary requires from thieves...
… less than ten seconds to pry open a window or patio door.
… between four and ten minutes to search an apartment or a two-story house.
Here's how you can protect yourself: Set traps. Store inexpensive jewelry in the closet, valuables in the basement behind the heater or in the garden waste bin. Cover them with garden tools, and it's all done! Hide jewelry and valuables in places burglars wouldn't expect. The longer they have to search for loot, the quicker they'll get frustrated and leave the house.
But beware! Whether the money is hidden in a tin can in the kitchen, under the laundry, or in the freezer compartment – burglars know all these common hiding places and will quickly find money or jewelry.
6. Burglars target specific loot…
Money, jewelry, small electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, as well as other valuable items like paintings and expensive wall clocks – anything that is visually appealing and has a high value on the black market.
How to protect yourself: It's best to store your valuables in a bank safe deposit box. The cost for this is at least about 100 euros per year for a safe deposit box with a height of 10 centimeters.
7. Burglars also often operate in groups
Almost every second burglar is part of a gang. Typically, at least three people work together: one or two enter the house, one monitors the surroundings, and one waits in the getaway vehicle.
8. They dress inconspicuously
Burglars try not to stand out by usually wearing muted colors. The hoodie is a cliché but often holds true. Some thieves, feeling insecure, also wear masks.
How to protect yourself: Stay in groups or wear inconspicuous clothing! Regularly inform trusted neighbors to keep an eye on your property. Should they notice suspicious persons on your property, you should immediately inform the police.
LED solar wall lights are a good option for the night. They switch on at the slightest movement, quickly alerting neighbors. During the day, motion detectors can be installed near windows and doors. These trigger an alarm as soon as they detect movement. Infrared motion detectors are available from as little as 20 euros.
9. Thieves flee quickly
After a break-in, thieves often choose routes via nearby highways or national borders to escape quickly. Remote locations where the getaway vehicle might stand out are avoided.