Burglaries in Luxembourg: what to do to prevent them
The Grand Ducal police recorded almost 3,808 burglaries and attempted burglaries in 2025*.
Most of these burglaries (1,1576) took place in so-called inhabited homes. Let's take a look at how to minimise the risk of burglary in your home.
*Source: Grand Ducal police activity report for 2025
This is the first thing that springs to mind when you want to protect yourself against burglaries. Although they help to deter attempted break-ins, alarm and remote surveillance systems are, unfortunately, not enough on their own. Whilst they can alert a security company, the police or yourself within seconds, they still leave criminals a window of opportunity to steal something.
To make your system more effective, consider installing passive infrared (PIR) motion detectors in key areas of your home. These devices detect changes in heat and can cover up to 133 m². Connected CCTV is the ideal complement to this system, allowing you to view what is happening in your home in real time.
We therefore recommend these devices as a supplement to more comprehensive security measures, particularly those covering all access points to your home.
Your front door is the first point of entry. It needs to be sturdy, both in terms of the material it’s made from and its hinges. That’s why it’s advisable to fit a reinforced or burglar-proof door. As well as improving your home’s sound and thermal insulation, a reinforced door quickly deters burglars. How can you ensure it is sturdy?
Here are the key elements you can focus on to make your door more secure:
- The door itself: a thick material such as heavy metal makes the door less fragile and much harder to force open.
- The lock and security cylinder: a multi-point lock (minimum 3 points, up to 9 points) is essential. Choose a cylinder (or barrel) certified as pick-proof, drill-proof and pull-out-proof, with patented keys to prevent any illegal copying.
- Anti-pry brackets: fixed to the outer leaf and the edge of your door, these prevent tools or pry bars from being inserted between the frame and the door leaf.
Anti-unhinging hinges, hinge guards and threshold bars complete this system by minimising the gaps that burglars could exploit. You should also consider fitting a door viewer to check the identity of visitors before opening the door fully.
Once you have secured your front door, take the same precautions for other points of access to your home, particularly your windows.
As well as closing your shutters when you are away, you can opt to have burglar-resistant glazing fitted when your windows are installed. Unlike standard glass, burglar-resistant glazing does not shatter into a thousand pieces when subjected to force. This is because the strength and number of adhesive layers (PVB sheets) within the glass keep the shards together, enabling it to withstand a large number of blows.
It also helps to reduce noise from outside, block out ultraviolet rays and improve your home’s thermal insulation.
This is perhaps the point of entry we think about the least and, paradoxically, garage doors often offer little resistance to break-ins. Yet they serve to protect vehicles or valuable equipment, and even prevent unauthorised access to your home. It therefore seems essential to fit your garage door with a security system suited to its type (roller, up-and-over, sliding, sectional, etc.).
Installing a floor anchor is currently the best solution to prevent your garage door from being torn off its hinges or lifted off its tracks.
If you can’t rely on anyone else, you can install a home automation system that you can control remotely via your mobile phone. Opening your shutters, adjusting the lighting, operating your multimedia devices (turning on the television or playing music) or even activating your garden’s sprinkler system: all these actions can help simulate your presence.
This smart presence simulator mimics your daily routine in a random and convincing way, creating the illusion that your home is occupied. Switching lights on and off at varying times, opening the shutters at scheduled times or playing music provide an effective first line of defence against burglaries.
Beyond these measures, home automation allows you to remotely activate your alarm system, receive notifications in the event of an intrusion, and even view live footage from your security cameras.
Communal areas such as cellars are often overlooked when it comes to security. Yet they are frequently targeted by burglars. Here are a few tips to improve the security of your cellar:
- Always lock your cellar door. This may seem obvious, but it is essential to ensure that your cellar door remains locked, even if you do not use it very often.
- Install a security system. An alarm system or a CCTV camera can deter burglars.
- Avoid storing valuables. If possible, do not keep high-value items in your cellar. If this is unavoidable, ensure they are well hidden or secured.
- Be vigilant. Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in the communal areas of your block of flats and report any concerns to the police.
These measures may seem simple, but they can make a real difference in terms of security.
If you’re on good terms with your neighbours, they can be a valuable ally against burglars lurking around your property. Let your neighbours know you’ll be away and, if possible, ask them to walk round your house, collect your post from the letterbox, open and close your shutters, or even come round to feed your pets. These actions create the impression that someone is at home and deter burglars who may have spotted your house.
Also, avoid announcing your departure on social media: it’s easy for people to use this information to identify unoccupied homes.
Notify the police station of your departure
You can also notify the police when you go on holiday. They can include your address in their patrol route, thereby enhancing your protection against burglary whilst you’re away.
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 2022 and updated in June 2026.
Burglars look out for several tell-tale signs of a prolonged absence. A letterbox overflowing with post, shutters kept closed in broad daylight for several consecutive days, or a complete lack of light in the evening are all warning signs. Social media also poses a major risk: sharing your holiday photos in real time or announcing your departure is tantamount to directly informing criminals of your absence. Similarly, an unkempt garden, bins that haven’t been taken out or brought back in, or a visible pile-up of parcels outside the front door attract the attention of those who are scouting residential neighbourhoods.
Contrary to popular belief, the majority of burglaries take place during the day, mainly between 10 am and 5 pm, when residents are away at work or going about their daily business. Around 60 per cent of burglaries occur during these hours, as burglars take advantage of the occupants’ absence to carry out their crimes more easily. The late afternoon, particularly between 2 pm and 5 pm, is a particularly prime time. Night-time burglaries, although less common, generally occur between 9 pm and 7 am, with an increased risk during the winter months when it gets dark earlier.
Visible alarm systems and remote monitoring are the main deterrents, as they significantly increase the risk of detection. The presence of a dog, even a small one, also acts as a major deterrent: barking alerts the neighbourhood and disrupts the break-in. A vigilant and supportive neighbourhood plays a crucial role in prevention, as do clearly visible CCTV cameras. Physical security measures (reinforced doors, burglar-proof glazing, reinforced shutters) also deter burglars, who prefer easy targets. Finally, signs of regular occupation (a car in the driveway, programmed lights, curtains moving) encourage them to give up and look for a more vulnerable property.
Cash tops the list of stolen goods, as it is untraceable and easy to carry. Jewellery and watches are also among the most sought-after items, featuring in nearly 45 per cent of burglaries due to their high value and small size. Electronic devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) are also highly sought after as they can be resold quickly. Bank cards and other payment methods are prime targets, which is why it is so important to cancel them straight away. To make it easier to identify and claim compensation for your belongings, remember to keep your purchase receipts and make a note of the serial numbers of your electronic devices and valuables.
As soon as you discover the burglary, it is important to report it to the relevant police authorities and to keep the receipt for the report. You must also report the claim to your insurer within eight days of the incident, except in cases of force majeure. To help speed up the processing of your claim, gather all the evidence needed to prove the existence and value of the damaged or stolen items: purchase receipts, photographs, proof of ownership and a detailed inventory of the items concerned. The damage will be assessed by mutual agreement or through an expert valuation, and compensation will be determined in accordance with the cover and limits set out in your policy. Keeping your supporting documents generally helps to facilitate and speed up the settlement of the claim.