Beware of Burglars/House break ins Montauroux area 27 July 2012

[volvoman]

Hi.

We were broken into during the afternoon on Friday 27/7/12 and robbed of several things from our house whilst we were out.

Make sure you lock up and close all Volets, etc when ever you go out. Also, lock back doors/windows etc when you are at the front or in the pool, etc.

Spread the word!

[Gardian]

Volvoman .............

So sorry to hear your news.  Happily, we've only ever been 'turned over' once, some 30 years ago, but accept that its something that can always happen.

Your advice re vigilance is well-timed, particularly when the front of the house is wide open in hot weather - these people can be in and out in seconds. In that respect we're fortunate being at the end of a cul-de-sac.  Not immune of course, but its imperfect for the bad guys.

I suppose the main thing is never (if possible) to have anything in the house that they want - cash, cards, jewellery, laptops, etc. Portable stuff.

The last thing I want to do is contradict you, but I'm a bit unsure about the closing the volets.  It always seemed to me to be the biggest advert for an empty house.  I checked with my insurers and they've confirmed in writing that its not a requirement.

Vigilance is the thing and your warning is important and thanks for it  - I just somehow feel that if the *******s are going to get you, they'll get you.

[volvoman]

Hi Gardian....

Yep, if they want it badly enough, they are going to get in. I think these were opportunist that are touring this area as few have been "done over" recently. The Gendarmes have sent in a specialist "Anti-Cambrioleur" unit who were on every roundabout a couple of days back, stopping and checking vehicles. I think they are trying to send out a message, hopefully it will be taken.

The burglars took cameras, iPad, money, jewellery and sunglasses plus trashed the place looking for stuff.

They also found our passports, brith/marriage certificates, credit cards, cheque books, iPod, Laptop, TV, and Bose music system, BUT didnt take any of it!!!

We are putting up cameras and warning stickers, etc in order to hopefully act as a deterrent.

Ref the volets. Ours are particularly sturdy with reinforcing cross bars, etc. We were out the house for less than 2 hrs and I think it would take a while to get through them, far too long for an opportunist gang. However, obviously not for professionals who target the property when you are away for weeks or months at a time.

Either way, it's been a very traumatic experience and one that has quite unsettled us. So much so we are re-considering our future here.

[Sprogster]

volvoman, unfortunately I think the south of France is especially bad for burglary and monitored alarm systems are a must. A safe is also a good idea.

One of the reasons I believe for this is that this area is targeted in summer by criminals from afar, as a relatively prosperous area with lots of tourists and second home owners.

[Judith]

Now you know why most French keep the outsides of their houses looking disreputable ... the best thief proof house is one surrounded by nosey neighbours!

[andyh4]

[quote user="Gardian"]

The last thing I want to do is contradict you, but I'm a bit unsure about the closing the volets.  It always seemed to me to be the biggest advert for an empty house.  I checked with my insurers and they've confirmed in writing that its not a requirement.

[/quote]

 

I left our house in Germany with the shutters open on exactly that basis one Christmas - and had some lights on timers to come on in the evening and early morning.

We got done.   Only problem with the insurance was receipts for some items that were far from new but still valuable.

 

The Police comment was, that while closed shutters can indeed indicate that the house is empty (especially in winter when you are not keeping the sun out), they provide an additional barrier and deterrent to a would be thief and their recommendation was to close them.