There are always rumors that crooks place secret signs in front of or on houses. Allegedly, the criminals warn each other of biting dogs or mark worthwhile objects. According to the police, these "crook signs" belong in the realm of myths. No such case is known in the Märkisch district. No burglar announces his arrival. On the contrary: the crooks usually decide spontaneously when looking for objects and take advantage of favorable opportunities.
True "crook tines"
The real "crooks' tines" look different: Overflowing letterboxes, shutters left down even during the day or garbage cans not taken off the street all day. They increase the risk of burglary enormously.
This can be minimized by simple means - perhaps with the help of friendly neighbors. If you want to invest in security, you should follow certain DIN standards. The technical advisors explain this in the video clips. Homeowners can also ask questions: As comments under the Facebook posts or by telephone (see below).
Number of burglaries on the rise again
A look at the statistics shows that the number of burglaries is falling significantly in the long term. This is certainly also due to the fact that more and more people are taking precautions and protecting themselves. The curve reached a particularly low point last year with 325 (attempted) burglaries in homes. That is 37 percent fewer than in the previous year. The pandemic has given burglars less leeway. 20 percent of burglaries last year were solved. However, this does not get the victims their money or valuable family jewelry back. The shock of having their homes ransacked often runs deep.
Unfortunately, there has been an increase again this year. Usually at the beginning of the week, the police publish maps showing the previous week's burglaries or attempted burglaries. This makes it easy to see whether and where burglaries are increasing. The two maps (North MK and South MK) can be found at https://redaktion-maerkischer-kreis.polizei.nrw/artikel/wohnungseinbruchsradar-0.
Free advice at home
The Crime Prevention / Victim Protection Department can be reached by telephone on 02372/9099-5511 and -5512. If the technical advisors have appointments on site, they cannot be reached in person. On request, the technical advisors can also carry out a vulnerability analysis at home free of charge and make suggestions for improvement.