Awareness campaignHow to deal with the rise in burglaries over the winter months

The darker evenings in autumn and winter are generally more conducive to burglaries, according to a press release issued by the Grand Ducal Police on Thursday. Thieves are more likely to strike in the early hours of the evening, as visibility is low, but residents are generally still at work or otherwise occupied.

Police advice is for residents to ensure all doors and windows are locked and closed, even if leaving the home for a brief time. On average, burglaries last between 5 and 10 minutes. Residents are also advised to leave lights on and to close cellar doors.

If travelling abroad, residents are able to notify police in advance, so that officers can conduct regular patrols.

Police also recommend notifying them of any suspicious activity or vehicles which could be carrying out reconnaissance on potential targets. It is not advised to confront burglars caught in the act; instead, residents should contact police immediately on 113 and otherwise signal to the thief that they have not gone unnoticed, for example, making noise, shouting or switching on lights.

The police themselves will be making both repressive and reactive efforts, such as neighbourhood investigations, searching for perpetrators, and more.

Key figures

In 2020, around 1080 burglaries of residential buildings were reported to police, a decrease of 23% when compared to 2019 which saw around 1,400 incidents. This decrease is thought to be linked to the pandemic and its subsequent government measures such as lockdown, curfew, and an increased number of people working from home.

Burglaries are generally more common during the summer holidays and during the winter months, with fewer daylight hours. Half of all burglaries in 2020 occurred in January, February, October, November and December, dropping again in the spring and bouncing up somewhat over the summer months.

Advice for residents

Police recommend investing in security and alarm systems for the home, as well as practising vigilant behaviours such as the following:

• In case of absence, even for a short time, close all your windows and doors to avoid easy access for burglars. If your windows have a lock, don’t leave the key in the lock.
• Remember to activate your alarm system when you leave your house or apartment, even during a short absence.
• Some burglars avoid light. When the days are shorter and the nights longer, it is therefore recommended to leave a light on in your home.
• Always lock the doors of your garages and cellars as well . Make sure there is no access to common garages or cellars, and remember to secure bikes when it is in a common areas or lock it in a private cellar.
• Minimise the risk of theft from your car when it is parked outside: avoid parking your vehicle in a dark place and always lock it, even if only leaving it for a brief moment. Do not leave valuables in your car, especially not on the seats or in other parts visible from the outside.
• If you are away for several days, let your neighbours know in case they see anything suspicious.
• If you are going on holiday, inform the police by completing the holiday form (available on https://police.public.lu/fr/commissariat-virtuel.html). This will enable police to carry out occasional preventive patrols as part of its general surveillance, day or night, near your home.

• Report any suspicious person or car to 113. This can assist police in identifying and arresting criminal gangs specialising in burglaries. It is important that information about potential perpetrators or suspicious items is as accurate and complete as possible.

Consult the police website for further advice and recommendations on https://police.public.lu/fr/prevention/cambriolages.html.