The Grand Ducal police recorded almost 4,000 burglaries and attempted burglaries in 2023*.
Most of these burglaries (1,600) took place in so-called inhabited homes. Let's take a look at how to minimise the risk of burglary in your home.
*Source: report by the Grand-Ducal police on crime figures for 2023.
If you are fortunate enough to have good relations with your neighbours, they can prove to be good allies against those who lurk around your property. Keep them informed of your absence, and if possible, ask them to walk around your home, collect your mail, open and close your shutters, or even come and feed your pets. This simulates a presence and deters burglars who may have their eyes on your home. They can notify you of suspicious events at any time.
Notify the police station of your departure
You can also notify the police if you are going on holiday, so they can include your address in their surveillance rounds.
This is the first thing to think about when you want to protect yourself from burglars. Although alarm and remote monitoring systems make it possible to thwart attempts, they are unfortunately not enough on their own. They enable you to warn a security company, the police or yourself in a few seconds, but this still leaves enough time for thieves to steal something from you.
We therefore recommend these devices as an addition to broader protection and in particular, to protect all the entry points to your home.
The main entry point to your snug nest, your front door is the first line of defence against attack. It must be strong, both in terms of its material and its hinges, which is why it is advisable to equip yourself with an armoured or burglar-proof door.
In addition to improving the acoustic and thermal insulation of your home, the reinforced door will quickly deter burglars. How can I be sure my door is secure?
Here are several things you can do to make your door more secure:
- The door itself: a solid material, such as thick metal, will make the door less vulnerable and much more difficult to open.
- The lock: a 3-lever lock is the minimum required, and you can go up to 9 levers.
- The hinges: these are the metal hinges which enable your door to swing open and shut. By installing anti-lift hinges (blocking the upper part), you will prevent attempts to lift your door off its hinges. Since they are reinforced, these hinges will support a thick and heavy door.
- Hinge protectors: install hinge protectors (or hinge reinforcements) on the surface or in the form of lugs, so that the door cannot be released when it is closed because there is no free play.
- Angle brackets: like the two previous devices, installing angle brackets on the outside and around the edge of your door will prevent tools or crowbars from being inserted between the frame and the door jamb.
- Threshold bars: still with the aim of leaving as little space as possible between the door and the frame, you can install a threshold bar which will regulate the differences in level between the floor surface both inside and outside the door.
Once you have secured your door, do the same for other access points to your home, especially your windows.
In addition to closing your shutters when you are away, you can fit burglar-resistant glass when installing your windows. Unlike conventional glass, burglar-proof glass does not shatter into a thousand pieces when attacked. This is because the strength and quantity of the adhesive films (PVB sheets) present in the glass ensures that the glass splinters remain attached and can, therefore, withstand a large number of blows.
This is also another way to limit noise pollution from outside, to block ultraviolet rays and to increase the thermal insulation of your home.
This is perhaps the entrance point which is least considered, and paradoxically garage doors often offer little resistance to burglary. They do, however, protect vehicles or valuable equipment, and even prevent access to your home. You should therefore equip your garage door with a security system depending on its type (roll-up, overhanging, sliding, etc).
The installation of an anchor point on the floor is currently the best way to prevent your garage door from being pulled out or lifted.
If you can't rely on someone, you can install a home automation system which you control remotely, using your mobile phone. Open your shutters, play with the lighting, operate your multimedia devices (turn on the television or play music) … or even start the watering system in your garden. Everything can be used to make it seem as if someone is at home.
Apart from these methods, home automation enables you - remotely - to activate your alarm system, to be notified in the event of an intrusion, or even to view live footage from your surveillance cameras.
Shared spaces such as cellars are often overlooked when it comes to security, yet they are frequently targeted by burglars. Here are a few tips on how to make your cellar more secure:
- Always lock your cellar door. It may seem obvious, but it's essential to ensure that your cellar door is always locked, even if you don't use it frequently.
- Install a security system. An alarm system or surveillance camera can deter burglars.
- Avoid storing valuables. If possible, don't store valuable items in your cellar. If this is unavoidable, make sure they are well hidden or secured.
- Be vigilant. Be alert to any suspicious activity in the communal areas of your home and report any concerns to the police.
These measures may seem simple, but they can make a huge difference to your security.
Make sure you have a home insurance policy which - starting from the basic guarantees - covers theft, attempted theft, as well as vandalism. This will enable you to be compensated if, despite the precautions taken, you become the victim of a burglary.
Do not hesitate to review with your insurer, the value of your insured property in order to adjust the cover from your home policy to the real value of the contents of your apartment.
This is not an exhaustive list of points to watch out for, but it does provide an excellent basis for protecting your home as effectively as possible.
This article was originally published in August 2021 and updated in August 2024.