It has been known for many years that the holiday season is associated with an increased number of thefts. But this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take care of our security before and after the holidays. Every holiday or day off, as well as trips to the family or out of town, is a potential opportunity for burglars.

“How come burglars chose our apartment?” is the question asked by most victims of burglary. We would like to think the situation couldn’t have been avoided. This is a mistake. Burgled properties are usually chosen carefully, and the theft is preceded by a thorough diagnosis of the area. Many hours of observation allow the burglars to get to know the habits of the residents. As a result, they know when the residents go to work and come home, what time the apartment is completely empty, or if it is guarded by a dog ...

Most important, however, is whether there are valuables in the apartment. Remember not to keep valuables in plain sight. Also be careful what you publish on social media. A seemingly innocent photo can be a great source of information for a burglar. An apartment can tempt potential criminals in other ways, such as the sight of a full mailbox. Before you leave, ask neighbors to collect your mail, so it’s not clear to everyone that your apartment is empty.

Room layout is also important for burglars – they will often check this by pretending to be handing out flyers, taking polls, acting as salesmen or administrative staff. For your own safety, when an unexpected guest knocks on your door, it’s better to talk to them in the hallway.

Burglars usually pay attention to another important factor – they select homes that are poorly secured. Sometimes you don’t have to leave home to be robbed. Burglars have been known to use the “handle” method. Criminals get into an apartment block or townhouse, listen in to check what’s happening in the apartments and discreetly check whether the doors are locked. If not, they enter the hall and take whatever comes to hand. We often leave purses, coats, mobiles and wallets near the door. A burglar who learns by observing our habits won’t hesitate to carry out a burglary at night either. Theft occurs most often between two and five in the morning, when we’re most deeply asleep.

Although it’s hard to believe, we sometimes let burglars into our own homes! How is this possible? Clever burglars disguise themselves as workers or officials who are visiting our homes for specific purposes. At their request, we leave the room to fetch the necessary documents or check the meter. This brief moment of inattention is long enough for small items or money to simply disappear.

The burglar hunting their prey will also find other ways to get into an apartment. It is common for balcony or entrance doors to be forced or levered open. It’s not difficult for burglars to use picks to open locks. Standard security features, such as window bars, don’t constitute much of an obstacle for criminals. A skilled burglar has many ways to deal with these in just a few minutes.

But this doesn’t mean that we’re completely defenseless against burglars. Investment in good quality doors or windows can have a significant impact on our security. Alarm systems are also worth considering. They guarantee us the efficacy of primarily non-standard security features that will surprise the burglar and cause him more problems. Remember that security is first and foremost a way of thinking.