It can happen quickly without you being able to prevent it. We're talking about a burglary in your house or flat. While the burglary often only lasts a few minutes, the consequences are often long-lasting. And that doesn't just mean the material damage.
In fact, burglary victims suffer from the lost sense of security and anxiety long after the offence. But what do burglars actually do? How do you react correctly and what can you do in advance to prevent a burglary from happening in the first place? We would like to answer these and other questions in the following article.
The statistics speak for themselves: every few minutes, a thief breaks into a flat or house. The impression is often created that these are mainly burglars from Eastern Europe.
The Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony (KFN for short) has conducted a study on this. According to the study, 93.6 % of burglars are male and 28 years old on average. Of these, 50 % are German. The other half of the convicted offenders, 28.8%, are people from Eastern Europe. The rest of this group is made up of people with a migration background and a German passport.
The study also makes the following points clear. Burglars act as a group in every second case (47.5%). Often three people are involved. In around 30 % of all cases, the burglars are in a relationship with one of the household members. The causes of the burglary were also analysed. A good third (31.3%) of offenders carry out burglaries due to an existing gambling addiction.
Before committing an offence, burglars look very carefully at where and how they can become active. The typical routes that burglars choose after their robbery are often similar. They cross nearby motorways or national borders.
This enables them to leave the scene of the crime particularly quickly. This also means that isolated locations, where a perpetrator and the getaway vehicle are immediately conspicuous, are often avoided.
Statistics also show that apartment blocks are very popular with burglars. This is followed by detached or semi-detached houses. One reason for this is that flats are particularly easy to access via a barely secured stairwell or lift. Neighbourhoods are often quite anonymous, so there is little risk of a perpetrator being approached.
The perpetrators often pretend to be a delivery man, postman or tradesman. In addition, apartment blocks offer a higher density of potential targets. At the same time, there is often no special burglary protection or other form of security in the buildings.
Detached houses are also a favourite target for burglars. They already signalise through various features that it would be worthwhile for the burglar to live there. These include well-kept gardens or cars that indicate a certain amount of wealth.
Detached houses are often easily accessible and the property is poorly secured, which makes the offence quicker to carry out. In addition, it is not uncommon for windows to be in the tilt position when leaving the house, making it very easy for the burglar to break in.
Offenders often ring the doorbell before breaking in and check through the windows on the ground floor to see whether anyone is at home or not. In general, there are various entry points through which burglars can enter the house undetected. For example, bushes or trees in front of the windows on the ground floor provide privacy and make it easier to get in undetected.
Hardly any burglars simply drive up and carry out their crime spontaneously. Rather, there is a phase before the burglary in which the burglar spies on the property intensively. As a homeowner or tenant, you can ensure that burglars are unable to assess the current situation. This includes the following measures, which are often recommended by security experts and the police:
You may have heard of so-called rogue tines or similar signs used by burglars to mark potential burglary targets. These are symbols that are not clearly identifiable to outsiders. They are usually attached to door frames, garden fences or vehicles using chalk or markers.
A horizontal line means, for example, that there is nothing to get in the house. The thought mark is therefore placed by the spying persons for their „colleagues“ who want to break into a property later. You should therefore regularly check to see whether such markings have been placed in your home in any way. Always call the police if you discover such marks.
Contrary to popular belief, the main burglary time is not necessarily at night. Statistics show that around a third of burglaries are carried out during the day or in the early evening hours. The weekend is also very popular.
During the week, most people are at work during the day, so no one is in the house or flat. Statistical surveys have also shown that the number of burglaries does not necessarily increase during the holiday season. The same applies to the months of May to August, when many weddings take place, for example. Instead, the figures point to an increased number of burglaries in the months from November to February. During this period, it gets dark very early so that burglars can become active unnoticed in the late afternoon
The choice of tools depends crucially on the conditions on site. Very cheap and poor quality plastic doors and windows in particular make it easy for thieves. Such windows and doors can often be opened with a classic cheque card inserted between the door and the door frame.
A sturdy 30-euro screwdriver is enough to break open a balcony door. Sliding doors in particular are easy to open with little force.
Even low-quality plastic windows can be opened with a screwdriver. The burglars don't even need much strength or other tools to do this. They place the tool in various positions between the pivot element and the frame. The two elements are then bent apart with a short push.
An electric drill is also part of the burglar's basic equipment. He uses it to drill a hole in wooden doors or windows exactly where the locking mechanism is located. This is usually next to the handle. They insert a metal shackle through the drilled hole and open the handle. For example, a bicycle spoke or a clothes hanger, such as those used in dry cleaning, can be used as a metal hanger.
The pliers are suitable as a burglary tool as soon as the door lock protrudes slightly. The thieves turn the lock with large pliers and then open it with a normal lock pick.
Plastic pinball machines are very popular. The plastic tool is simply cut out of a PET bottle. Like a cheque card, the plastic flipper provides a kind of leverage between the frame and the door latch by inserting the self-made tool. It doesn't take long for the door to spring open. However, this method only works if the windows or patio doors are not locked.
It may sound a little brutal, but your own fist can also be used as a tool during a burglary. Although this happens rather rarely, some burglars simply smash windows with a fist protected by their clothing, reach through the hole and open the door handle from the inside.
Depending on the nature of the flat or house, the total duration of a burglary is just between four and ten minutes. Access is initially gained within ten seconds. It then only takes a few minutes to ransack the flat or two-storey house.
This is because burglars know exactly where people hide their cash or jewellery, for example. These include linen cupboards and mattresses, decorative tins or books. Coffee and sugar tins in the kitchen are also very popular. So don't make it too easy for thieves and choose places that are less easily accessible.
Anything that can be reached very quickly and is easy to store or transport is the focus of burglars. In addition to cash, this also includes valuables such as jewellery, coins, gold or technical devices such as cameras, mobile phones and laptops.
The likelihood of burglars breaking into a house or flat where the light is on is rather low. This is because the thieves assume that the occupants are on site. Light is therefore a very effective burglary defence. There are special lighting systems with LED technology available from DIY stores or specialist retailers that do not consume a great deal of power as soon as they are switched on.
Be sure to leave the light switched on in some rooms as soon as you are out of the house. This suggests your presence. If you are on holiday, for example, the timer-controlled lighting system is practical. It switches the light on and off dynamically, which also simulates movement in the home.
Burglars usually wait until nobody is in the house. However, burglaries also take place at night when people are in the house or flat. This is particularly the case when people are asleep. Single and elderly people in particular are not safe from burglary when they are present.
Anyone who has been the victim of a burglary once is not immune to a second theft. In fact, the perpetrators already know the surroundings, interior and possible escape routes. In addition, most thieves assume that many valuable items will be replaced. A second burglary is therefore not unlikely.
As a general rule, alarm systems are not 100% secure. This applies in particular to very inexpensive models. But more expensive versions of burglar protection can also be affected. Spying by burglars is therefore not limited to possible valuables or escape routes.
In fact, it is also possible for them to record the unprotected radio signal for switching off the alarm system. As soon as the owner enters the house, burglars can then also use this recording to switch off the alarm system.
Therefore, make sure that your alarm system works with encrypted radio signals. With such systems, the signals cannot be recorded by third parties.
As already mentioned, security experts believe that many houses and flats have considerable deficits. In addition, mistakes are made in the everyday securing of houses as soon as the buildings are left. Thieves usually gain entry via easily accessible windows, flat doors or French windows.
In more than half of all cases, burglars use simple tools to prise open windows. They are less likely to work on glass surfaces. Open or tilted windows and French doors make the „burglary job“ even easier.
Burglars do not always wait until you have left the house or flat. If you are present at the time of the crime, there are various rules of behaviour that you should follow to protect life and limb. Although most burglars do not have firearms with them, they are not unarmed. Statistics show that the number one tool used by burglars to break open unsecured windows and doors is the screwdriver. If you corner a burglar, he could use it as a stabbing weapon. You should therefore behave as follows:
There are also clear rules of behaviour in this case. Always have a mobile phone within reach in case of an emergency. Alert the police immediately by dialling 110 and always behave defensively. Make noise and switch on the lights so that the burglar notices you and flees.
In any case, make yourself noticed and leave the house again immediately. Behave defensively here too and offer the burglar the opportunity to leave the house. Trying to stop the burglar can be dangerous in this situation. Make a note of the burglar's appearance and possible getaway vehicle.
The same applies to the direction of escape. Always inform the police. You should take all these measures as long as it is safe to do so. You should protect your health and, in extreme cases, your life above all else.
In a situation like this, you are guaranteed to have hundreds of thoughts running through your head. Nevertheless, you should remain calm. You don't know whether the perpetrator is still in the house or flat. Bear the following things in mind:
Detached houses or flats on the ground floor or top floor are particularly susceptible to break-ins and must be secured. Doors and windows should be of high quality, stable and resilient. Lockable door and window handles ensure that windows cannot simply be smashed and opened. Also consider the following technical information:
Good contact with neighbours can also be helpful. As soon as everyone looks out for each other, the risk of strangers not being recognised and gaining access to the flat or house is minimised.
Some neighbourhoods experience entire series of burglaries. Affluent suburbs can be just as affected as ethnically heterogeneous neighbourhoods and social hotspots. Here the use of a Precinct service or Object protection help to calm the situation in the long term. It is also important to protect your premises with a Site security to protect.
As Security service in Cologne, Bonn and the surrounding area, we will be happy to advise you on general security issues or inform you about our comprehensive security services such as our Porterage or the Construction site security.
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