Prevention of burglary in the home

Earlier this year officers of the GNR visited home owners across the region, and afpop Members may have been visited as part of the operation, to talk about their home security and offer advice on how to avoid being victims of burglary, but also what to do in the event of a burglar entering your home. According to figure reported in the on-line news outlet "Diário online", GNR figures state that in 2018, 32% of thefts from dwellings were as a result of carelessness of the occupant.

-- Excuses, geen Nederlandse vertaling beschikbaar --
 

According to those reported statistics, over 60% of burglaries occur in the afternoon when homes are more likely to be empty and in dwellings that are more isolated from neighbours.

We reproduce here the specific advice that property owners were given by the GNR officers,

• Do not open the door of your house, nor the main building door, without being sure who the people are;
• When you leave the house, close all the windows and always lock the doors and access gates;
• Keep all copies of your house keys in a safe place;
• Put a spyglass and a safety chain on your door;
• During the night, even when you are at home, lock all the windows and doors;
• Do not leave written notes on the door, window or mailbox, which indicate your absence;
• Do not allow mail to accumulate in the mailbox and place a secure lock on it;
• Residents of the ground floor and 1st floor, it is recommended to install security systems in the windows;
• Illuminate all entrances well;
• If you notice strange presences in the vicinity of your home, try to confirm your suspicions. If in doubt, call the GNR;
• If you find a burglar in your home, try to stay calm, do not argue, or confront them. Try to memorise their features and the clothes they are wearing, to describe them to the authorities. And, most importantly, don't react!
• Always have at hand the phone numbers of the GNR station in your home area. In case of emergency, turn on the 112.