How to Foil a Burglary

Every day, around a hundred homes are burgled in Belgium, adding up to 40,000 to 50,000 burglaries a year. Yet this figure isn't inevitable, because you can protect yourself. Here's how.

A seasonal increase

Burglaries can happen at any time of year. However, the autumn months are traditionally when home burglaries are most common. In the dark, a thief is less likely to be noticed, and in autumn or winter, homeowners aren't always back from work before nightfall.

The modus operandi: a matter of time

If there were ever a "Guide for the perfect burglar", it would almost certainly say: "A good burglary takes just a few minutes: it takes less than a minute to force entry into the home, 3 to 4 minutes to commit the theft, and 30 seconds to clear off."

Conclusion: one of the best ways to prevent burglary is to make it as difficult, as slow and as risky as possible. A thief will very quickly get discouraged if it looks like the job will take more than 5 minutes.

Another finding: 70% of break-ins happen through the back of the house. So watch out for doors or windows onto a yard or garden left open!

A few tips

• Don't attract envy by showing off your "riches" or leaving them in plain sight: cash, jewellery, tech devices (smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, etc.) or the latest TV. The same goes for a garage left open with a valuable item inside (bicycle, motorbike, gardening equipment, various devices, a luxury car, etc.).
• A thief will often scout the area beforehand: during the day they'll check out the access routes, and after dark they'll use a house's interior lighting to look in from outside and note the layout of the rooms and any potentially interesting items. So: close your shutters, blinds or curtains when you're home and it's dark outside.
• Be careful when you post photos of your home's interior on social media, or comment there about buying a luxury item that might attract envy. Don't share your dates away (holidays, trips, etc.) either.
• Always lock your house when it's left empty, even for a few minutes. Talk about it with the other people living there.
• Make sure doors and windows can't offer easy access to the inside (e.g. a window that's badly closed or that just needs a push or a tilt to get in).
• Don't put your address on your keyring.
• Avoid creating overly easy access or "escape" routes for any would-be burglar, especially ones hidden from outside view, and don't make thieves' jobs easier (e.g. by leaving a ladder lying around).
• Talk about the issue of burglary with your neighbours and ask them to keep an eye out for any suspicious comings and goings while you're away. Ask them to let you or the police know if they notice anything. Offer them the same favour while you're around.

A few prevention measures

• Use a safe (at the bank) to keep jewellery, valuables or important papers you don't use regularly, and hide the ones you use often in an "illogical" spot from a burglar's point of view.
• Draw up a list of your valuables and take photos of them, and keep the purchase receipts. Store this information somewhere safe (and protected from any fire, since it could also come in handy in the event of a disaster).
• Make sure the locks on your doors and windows are secure and — if possible or necessary — install an alarm system connected to a remote monitoring centre.
• Install one or more motion-sensor lights outside.
• Don't hesitate to trick the thief: e.g. a "Beware of the dog" sign (even if all you have at home is a nervous cat or a canary), a fake alarm system or camera, a light on a pre-set timer, etc.
• Going on holiday or away for a long stretch? Read our tips for protecting your home.

Face to face with a burglar

A burglar will usually prefer to commit the theft when the house is empty, since that's less risky for them.
If, despite everything, you find yourself face to face with a thief, the goal is to make them flee as quickly as possible: make a lot of noise, shout for help, alert people nearby. If it's dark, turn the lights on.
Don't block their way out and don't threaten them with a weapon: they could be armed too!
Try to remember as many details about them as you can: height, build, age, accent, means of escape, any accomplice, etc., and call the police straight away.

Useful links:
- the BeSafe website
- the 1 jour sans cambriolages initiative