Summer, the season for home burglaries: "We're not letting our guard down, not even in second homes."

Barcelona / SabadellMarta woke up when she heard a noise. It wasn't far away, it was coming from nearby. It was so close it was coming from her nightstand. It was metallic, as if someone were removing jewelry. When she opened her eyes, she saw a silhouette very similar to that of her grandson. It wasn't surprising that he was there, since he lived with them, although that night, a priori, he wasn't supposed to be. She spoke to him. The silhouette responded, but intelligibly, and left the room. Marta thought her grandson wasn't well, and followed him. Her son also saw the silhouette, and thought the same. However, the silhouette vanished, and with it, the jewelry disappeared. It was a burglar who had entered through the window.

Every day, 35 homes in Catalonia suffer a burglary. In the first six months of 2025, there have been 6,495 such incidents. What Marta suffered, however, is by no means the most common. According to data from the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police), 96% of cases involve burglars who break into a home when no one is home. There is no violence or intimidation, although they steal everything they find, especially jewelry and cash. And now, in the middle of summer, is the season when most crimes of this type occur. However, the data isn't bad. Compared to the first half of 2024, burglaries have dropped by 13.6%. That's more than 1,000 fewer incidents than last year. Barcelona stands out with a 31% reduction. And compared to previous years, such as 2022, there are practically 3,000 fewer crimes across Catalonia.

"It's a downward trend, but there is room for improvement. We are not letting our guard down," urges Commissioner David Boneta, head of the Mossos d'Esquadra's Higher Territorial Police Station. Not letting your guard down doesn't mean giving up on relaxing in a month like August, when many people take vacations. But it does mean, according to Boneta, taking some preventive measures. Starting with your primary residence, which many will leave closed for a few weeks [see the main security tips in the infographic], continuing with your second home, where you should be vigilant and not leave valuables in sight or everything open all the time, and ending with stops you make during your commute at gas stations, service areas, and hotel stays. "We shouldn't feel unsafe; we don't have a wave of burglaries, but we should take self-protection measures," says Boneta. Comprehensive self-protection measures include armored doors, but also windows, rooftops, and interior patios.

10 tips to keep burglars away from your home

Lídia Barri, sergeant of the Proximity, Victim and Minors Assistance Division of the Mossos d'Esquadra, explains the main safety tips.

Turn the lock twice

Even if you're inside the house, it's a good idea to invest in security, in uncopyable keys and lock protectors. And the more locks, the better.

Ask someone to bring the house to life

When you're leaving home for a while, it's important to pretend there's life: ask someone to take your letters from the mailbox, open and close the door to break potential burglar markers, open the blinds, turn on the lights, and hang out the laundry.

Pretending a normal life from a distance

Home automation can be an ally in preventing burglaries. It's advisable (and inexpensive) to install devices that allow you to remotely open blinds or lights. This way, you can simulate normal life from a distance. Installing cameras or motion sensors is also an option.

Collaborate with the neighborhood

Collaboration with neighbors is key. It's advisable to form groups and report any suspicious activity or travel for long periods of time.

Anchor the safe

When it comes to protecting valuables, safes are a good option. However, they must be anchored: thieves steal them whole and open them later.

Find original hiding places for valuables

The easiest option is to keep jewelry and watches in the bedroom, usually on the nightstand. However, this is the first thing thieves will look for. Therefore, it's advisable to look for more unusual hiding places.

Detect vulnerabilities and protect sliding windows

It's all about putting yourself in the burglar's shoes and identifying your home's vulnerabilities. And you shouldn't just consider the doors, but also the windows, since burglars often enter through the roof. For example, sliding windows are easy to open and need to be protected with a support.

Stay alert at your second home

Normally, when we go to second homes we relax. However, we should be equally prepared. We should avoid leaving everything open and also leaving valuables in plain sight.

Hide spare keys well

We often choose to leave a second set of spare keys under the mats or in the entryway. Again, more imaginative options are warranted.

Keep the alarm connected

It's important to always have your alarm on, even when you're sleeping. Finally, it's important to have the location of all electronic devices enabled.

Vulnerability

Marta has put bars on the window through which the burglar entered. Oscar's house in Sant Cugat del Vallès only had one vulnerable window. All were secured, and the alarm was set. Upon landing in Menorca, they received the alarm notification. The burglars tried to force the door, and all the windows, until they found one they could open. Upon their return, they secured the sliding doors and reinforced the window through which they entered. Even so, Oscar admits that for a time they felt "insecure." "The slightest noise they heard made them think you were breaking in," he recalls. Commissioner Boneta explains that this is one of the elements that creates the greatest impact of a burglary in your home: "They invade your privacy," and you feel "vulnerable."

Jordi has felt vulnerable twice in three summers in Badalona. First, they forced the lock when no one was there. Two summers later, this Easter, they climbed onto the balcony and forced open the shutters. Once again, they were out. They stole jewelry and cash. The only evidence of the crime? A sock lying on the sofa. Thieves often use them to hide their fingerprints.

The gangs

Commissioner Boneta explains that these are usually specialized gangs, often nomadic and itinerant, who can commit three robberies in Catalonia, two in France, and one in Belgium. They travel in groups, usually of three or four people, and stop in neighborhoods and residential areas looking for vulnerabilities (such as poorly protected houses, or where the windows are often left open). They look for houses close to highways and where there are few neighbors. They drive rental cars, often in the name of a front man, and have double license plates. And many have no criminal record: if they are caught, the members of the group are renewed for being "clean" by the police. There are several cases that exemplify this: in April 2025, three people were arrested for five robberies in Catalonia. Where were they going? To Valencia, where they were arrested and where they were headed to commit more robberies. A month later, in May, four people committed nine robberies in three days in the metropolitan area. In June, four more living in Barcelona were caught, but they were arrested for robberies in Belgium and Germany.

For this reason, Boneta emphasizes that international cooperation and information sharing are key to attacking these gangs of thieves. In 2012, the Mossos d'Esquadra created a specific operational plan (POE) to tackle home robberies. The situation was critical, especially three years ago. The POE has three alert levels, and was at level 2. We are now at level 1. The commissioner attributes the drop in crime figures to increased police activity, but also to the intelligence they have been acquiring about the phenomenon. In each municipality, the police have a heat map to know where the most robberies occur, and they are increasing patrols at these points. In the first six months of 2025, they have carried out more than 4,000 hours of preventive patrols. 908 arrests have been made, 107,000 people have been identified, and 50,000 vehicles have been inspected. All of this is combined with new technologies, such as license plate readers and drones to detect thieves who steal by climbing walls.

However, the commissioner also points out that the figures are decreasing because people are more aware of the risk and are taking more security measures. In this regard, the Catalan police have made 812 contacts with communities, such as talks and presentations, to increase this prevention. In fact, Boneta points out that many robberies are solved thanks to citizen collaboration, and that is precisely why it is very important to call the emergency number if you suspect anything suspicious.