Although the current pandemic has probably helped to greatly reduce this figure (-19% compared with 2019), the Grand Ducal police announced 1,638 burglaries in 2020.
The majority of these thefts (1,076) took place in homes which are said to be inhabited or occupied. Let's find out how to minimise the risk of theft from your home.

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.

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.

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 a non-exhaustive list of points of concern but it constitutes an excellent basis for confidence. Once you have taken the necessary steps, you can now leave your home with peace of mind.