The Public Security Police (PSP) has reported that although there has been a 3.9% reduction in residential burglary crimes, the number of arrests remains consistent with the first semester of the previous year.
Common methods used by thieves to gain entry into homes include “door, lock, and window break-ins using picks, tools, or acid” and “scaling floors, balconies, and windows.”
Burglaries without break-ins, scaling, or using duplicate keys or “in areas adjacent to residences” are also frequently reported methods.
The PSP advises the public to always “properly close and lock their home’s door whenever leaving the house” and ensure that doors and gates to buildings and garages are securely closed after exiting.
Additional recommendations include leaving laundry out or using some lighting to create the impression of occupancy, refraining from “sharing daily routines” and “absence periods” on social media, and reporting any suspicious activities to authorities.
“The PSP also urges the reporting of any known crimes […] and reminds that the quicker these reports are made, the sooner steps can be taken to identify the culprit(s),” the statement adds.
In May, the security force recalled that a report on serious and organized crime threats by Europol (EU-SOCTA) identified the main threat to home burglaries as “criminal groups traveling from region to region and country to country, targeting houses and apartments.”
