Criminality, 15.12.2021

Police give tips on how to protect your home

What should you do if you catch a burglar in the act? Which apartments are particularly favoured by burglars: those on the ground floor or on the top floor? We give the answers.

The local police recently arrested a 25-year-old Brazilian who had stolen cash and clothing around 25 times from various homes. The total amount of offences: several thousand Swiss francs. These kinds of offences increase in the winter. The darkness is only one reason, as Roland Jost reveals. He is a security consultant at the Lucerne Police and says: "It is frightening how often I see houses and apartments without lights when I’m walking through neighbourhoods in the evening. This immediately signals to burglars that there’s no one at home." A light switch with a timer is therefore a good way to keep burglars away. But who are the burglars? And where do they strike most often?

Almost three burglaries a day
1,066 so-called burglary thefts were registered by the police in the canton of Lucerne last year. That was 50 more than in 2019, and amounted to almost three a day. The trend has been declining over several years, and the rate of 247 burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants is lower than the Swiss average (which is 326). According to Roland Jost, burglars often choose municipalities or districts that are close to motorways. Cantonal roads are also welcome. "The main thing is that there are possibilities for a quick escape."

Multi-family house preferred to detached houses
Burglars prefer cities and agglomeration communities, because these places are more anonymous. "In the village, more people tend to notice when an unknown car drives through the area." For reasons of anonymity, burglars are also much more likely to choose an apartment block. Last year, single-family houses were broken into 152 times, compared to 426 times for apartment buildings. The top apartments is also most at risk there, in addition to ground floor and mezzanine apartments. "The burglars are less likely to be disturbed at the top of the building."

Fabian Zihlmann from Ruswil was advised by the police on how to additionally secure his house against burglary.                                                                                 Photo: Pius Amrein, Ruswil
Roland Jost, security consultant at the Lucerne police                      
PD

Without a mask, but with a screwdriver
Most of the perpetrators come from nearby countries and, as criminal tourists, carry out a series of burglaries within a short time. They can be men, women or young people, and are well organised and professional. To a lesser extent, they are procurement criminals, i.e. drug addicts in search of cash. Either way, the criminals are not aiming to use violence, but to remain undetected. "That's why they very rarely wear a mask." Their need for mobility also requires only the bare necessities of tools. Most of the time, the perpetrators only have a screwdriver with them.

Even a tilted window is an open window
Once the burglar has found an apartment or a house where there is obviously no-one at home, he’ll look around for concealment options. These can be tall bushes at the front entrance, but also a back entrance or a patio or cellar door. Then either a poorly secured door or window will be levered out with the screwdriver. A tilted window is also an invitation. "It's as good as an open window."

Gain time
According to Roland Jost, making the house or apartment look inhabited will deter burglars. In addition to house lights and a timer, this also includes blinds and shutters being open, and not closed.

"And when you travel on holiday, you should not only have your mailbox emptied, but also avoid announcing your holiday on social media."

Doors and windows should be locked and should meet minimum safety standards. With Resistance Class 2, which is now also called RC 2, opening a window would take too much time for most burglars, or they would need better tools.

And if the burglar is caught in the act?
If you come home and have the feeling that there is a  burglar inside, don’t try to corner him, as this could encourage criminals to use violence to escape.

"It’s better to announce your arrival loudly, leave the door open, withdraw and immediately call the police on emergency number 117. That will bring you into the least danger."

Regardless of a personal encounter with the perpetrator, nothing should be touched or cleaned up after a burglary, otherwise valuable traces could be destroyed – from shoe prints to fibres and hair to other DNA traces, everything is crucial for catching a burglar. In any case, call 117 immediately if you suspect or find a burglary.

Several cases solved in one fell swoop
Thanks to the often good evidence, investigators solved 22.7% of the burglaries in Lucerne last year. According to Roland Jost, it may well be that an burglary cannot be solved at first, but several burglaries can be clarified later on at the same time if the perpetrators are caught. The loot usually consists of cash, watches and jewellery. Virtually no electronic articles are stolen any more.

"Nowadays, smartphones can be located by the injured parties, and the burglars also know this."

Valuables should be stored in a safe with a combination lock. In the case of safes with keys, the burglars will then search for the key – and will disrupt your home even more.

Psychological consequences

Violent break-ins into homes, with the occupants being shackled, with threats and beatings– this may often be shown in "Aktenzeichen XY", but, according to Roland Jost, such cases are fortunately very rare. Nevertheless, even an "ordinary" burglary can have a psychological affect on the residents. After all, your own four walls are considered to be a retreat, an actually safe haven.

"Your privacy is violated by a burglary, and – if the criminals also search through your laundry – also your private sphere."

Jost knows of burglary victims who lock themselves in their bedroom, even years after the event, or have had to change their place of residence. He therefore advises people to get professional help, and your local police will have appropriate addresses.

Good advice is free
The police offer free security consultations. Roland Jost and his colleagues in Lucerne carried out 103 such consultations last year. They will have a look on-site at how the house or apartment can be better protected against burglary.

Fabian Zihlmann recently sought advice – and can recommend it:

"We feel much safer now. Regardless of whether we are away with the family. or I’m away while my wife is at home with the children."

The Zihlmanns bought a semi-detached house in Ruswil about five years ago. They didn’t decide to seek advice because of an earlier break-in, but because of the dark time of year, "and because I don't just want to invest thousands of francs in security". As it turned out during the one-hour consultation, this was also not necessary. After a tour with Roland Jost, Zihlmann specifically reinforced the cellar windows with iron bars from the hardware store and installed motion detectors and timers. "The latter can even be controlled via the Swisscom app, which we already have anyway," says Zihlmann enthusiastically.