Burglars outwit homeowners: New method endangers your roof!

Burglars outwit homeowners: New method endangers your roof!

A new trend in break-ins is causing problems for homeowners in and around Berlin. Criminals are now breaking into private homes through the roof, posing new challenges for police. In the past few days, two cases in which this unusual method was used have been reported in Hohenbruch and Kremmen in the Oberhavel district. How Northern Courier Reportedly, the burglars were disturbed in Kremmen as they were putting a ladder on the house and removing several roof tiles. When the police arrived, the waterproofing tarpaulin under the bricks had already been cut through.

The situation escalated further when a sleeping resident in Hohenbruch heard a suspicious noise from the roof and alerted the police. However, when they arrived, the perpetrators had already fled after removing the bricks. No information can be given at the moment about the amount of damage as the criminal police have now taken over the investigation into attempted burglary.

Sharp increase in burglaries in Germany

This trend is part of a larger increase in residential burglaries in Germany. Like an analysis of Statista shows, there were around 119,000 burglaries in apartments in 2023 alone, which corresponds to a significant increase after the severe restrictions during the corona pandemic. 77,800 cases were classified as residential burglary, the highest level since 2019, but over 50% lower than in 2015.

Particularly alarming are the strong regional differences, which make it clear that the risk of burglary is higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Cities like Bremen, Berlin and Hamburg top the list of federal states at risk, while Bavaria has the lowest burglary rates.

New methods and high damage

The method of breaking in via the roof has so far mainly been observed in supermarkets or shopping centers. But the incident in Hohenbruch and other similar cases show that private homes are also increasingly being targeted by perpetrators. The average damage per burglary in 2023 was around 3,500 euros, with a total loss of around 340 million euros across the country, like HomeInsider shows. It is also noteworthy that almost half of all break-in attempts (47 percent) are unsuccessful.

Experts recommend investing more in mechanical security measures. These include high-quality additional locks, burglary-resistant windows and reinforced door frames, which can make it much more difficult for perpetrators to break in.

Given these worrying developments, it is important that homeowners take all necessary measures to protect their living spaces. Regular security advice from the police and a combination of structural and electronic security solutions can help minimize the risk of a break-in. The better prepared you are, the lower the risk of criminal activity irreversibly invading your home.