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Fake presence

Should you leave the shutters up or close them to prevent burglary?

Burglar climbs through window
Many burglars break into other people's homes through the windows Photo: Getty Images

October 10, 2024, 11:16 am | Read time: 4 minutes

The best protection against burglary is proper prevention. This also includes pretending to be at home when you are away for a longer period of time, for example, when you are on vacation. myHOMEBOOK asked an expert from the police about the best methods.

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Burglars mainly strike when they have the impression that nobody is at home. After all, they don’t want to waste much time and be caught in the act. This is why pretending to be at home is a tried and tested method to deter potential burglars and thus prevent burglary. Julia Christiani from the state and federal police crime prevention department and the burglary protection campaign k-einbruch.de provides valuable tips at myHOMEBOOK and explains, for example, whether you should leave the shutters up or down.

What are clear signs for burglars that no one is at home?

Some signs can make it clear that someone is currently at home – even if they are not. Faking presence also plays a role in areas that you might not initially think of. One example of this is the answering machine. “If the answering machine announces that the residents are unavailable until a certain time, it tells everyone,” says Christiani. “This also applies to the automatic reply function of an email account or vacation posts on social networks.” An overflowing mailbox would also indicate that no one is currently at home.

Should you close the curtains or shutters while you are on vacation?

The burglary protection expert advises that it’s best to make your house or apartment appear occupied. She recommends having neighbors or friends open and close roller shutters or curtains. “With electric roller shutters, you can usually program this using a timer,” says Christiani. “If you don’t have any of these options, leave the shutters and curtains open.” Otherwise, this could attract potential burglars and signal that the property is an easy target.

Burglars first scout out the building before they strike. That’s why you should also keep an eye on your garden – if you have one. “Ask neighbors or good friends to mow the lawn and water the plants, for example,” advises the expert. A positive side effect is that the plants won’t die during your vacation.

What other methods can simulate presence?

“It is important to ensure that your apartment or house appears lived in while you are away,” she says. According to Christiani, the following tips can simulate presence and prevent burglary:

  1. Inform your neighbors that you will be away. Ask them to keep an eye on your apartment or house and report any suspicious activity to the police on 110.
  2. Have neighbors or friends open and close the shutters. With electric roller shutters, you can usually program this using a timer. If you do not have any of these options, leave the shutters open.
  3. Have your letterbox emptied by friends or neighbors. Suspend subscriptions while you are away. An overflowing letterbox shows that you are on vacation.
  4. Use timers with lighting to simulate your presence.
  5. Avoid sharing details of your vacation with everyone. Burglars also read posts on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to locate vacant apartments and houses.

Typical mistakes that could lead to a break-in

According to Christiani, burglaries in single-family homes mainly occur via French doors and windows and less frequently via front doors and basements. In multi-family houses, on the other hand, burglars usually make their way through the front doors – but even here, they gain access via easily accessible windows and French doors. “Tilted windows, unlocked apartment doors, ‘entry aids’ such as garbage cans or ladders make it easy for thieves to break in,” says the expert. These entry aids should, therefore, be removed before a long absence.

General tips for burglary prevention

Simply feigning presence may not suffice to prevent burglary. “First of all, it depends on the right, security-conscious behavior,” explains the expert

  • When you leave your home – even for a short time – be sure to lock your front door.
  • Always lock windows, balcony, and patio doors. Remember: tilted windows are open windows!
  • Never hide your key outside. Burglars can find any hiding place.
  • If you lose your key, replace the lock cylinder!
  • Watch out for strangers in your residential complex or on the neighboring property.
  • Inform the police immediately if you notice anything suspicious.
  • Do not give any indication that you are absent!
More on the topic

Mechanical protective measures

Additionally, the police recommend mechanically securing all windows and doors to prevent uninvited guests from entering in the first place. Additional security is provided, for example, by a burglar and hold-up alarm system. This automatically reports attempted break-ins, and you can also trigger the alarm yourself in the event of danger. For optimum protection, Christiani advises a coordinated combination of mechanical and electronic security technology, security-conscious behavior, and attentive neighbors.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@petbook.de.

Topics Burglary protection
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