Security - The Trade of the Burglar

Written by Riviera Reporter

Be ready to welcome those uninvited guests.

Among the more flourishing trades on the Côte d’Azur is that of burglar. Make this the year you don’t get robbed. Phil Heinlein reports

Talking to victims of burglary there’s one adjective which comes to mind almost always. They have been to a greater or lesser extent ... careless. “Some of our clients,” says Jean-Marie Ashby of 2ATS, a Sophia Antipolis-based security company, “only take the protection of their home seriously after they’ve had a break-in and then they admit things like they had a key under a flowerpot or had put the wife’s jewels in the fridge or underwear drawer. These are habits even a beginning burglar knows all about.” So, aware that this is a high-risk area for household robberies, what to do? “It’s true,” agrees Bertrand Baumgartner of Azur Security, “that people can be careless. They don’t know how burglars operate or how smart they are. I’d say it’s worth having a security audit of your home.” Owen Murrell of European Alarms & Security Services (EASS), which like Azur Security also works out of the Valbonne area, backs this up. “You need expert advice from people like you’re talking to who know the way the bad guys’ minds work – and understand the technology that can defeat them. Get an expert in and listen to what he says.”

“A lot you can do to reduce the risk”
If you do this and act on the advice given you’ll be less anxious yourself and have a much easier time with your insurance company. “For example, up to eighty per cent of break-ins are through doors,” explains Jean-Marie, “so make sure you’ve got a door that’s difficult to force. It should be a minimum of 40mm in thickness and fitted with dead bolts at top and bottom and never leave the keys in the lock inside.” Windows, too, need close attention. “They should have shutters and grills and be of laminated glass,” advises Owen. “Remember – anything that slows down the burglar is an advantage. If he finds he’s losing a lot of time he’ll likely go away.” Many people worry about their houses when they’re absent for any length of time and especially about second homes. “It’s the case that an unoccupied house can attract unwelcome attention,” says Bertrand, “but there’s a lot you can do to reduce the risk. Install timing devices to switch on lights and television during the hours of darkness. Get a neighbour to clear your mailbox – and to put rubbish in your bin so it looks like someone’s around.” Jean-Marie points out that these days the risk of burglary is almost as great when you’re at home as when you’re not. “These guys are as bold as brass. They’ll try to check out if you’re on the other side of the house – having dinner, watching the box or whatever – or, in summer, outside around the pool and they’ll hop in through a door or window. They’ll hope to find jewellery, cash and other valuables lying around.”

“There are cowboys out there”
Alarms are a crucial feature of any system of protection. “Absolutely,” agrees Owen. “These days they’re very sophisticated, of course, and they can detect all sorts of things – movement, shock, breaking glass, almost anything unusual. When an alarm is activated you’ve got two sorts of outcome. Some offer a télé-surveillance system which brings in security intervention teams, others are designed to scare your burglar with noise, smoke or light.” Bertrand returns to the insurance issue. “Companies expect householders to protect themselves properly. Obviously, the protection you have will depend on the value of your possessions and on what the security company you turn to has to say.” And on this point a warning from Jean-Marie: “As in other fields, there are cowboys out there so, be careful. It’s better to steer clear of the guy who’s only been in the business since last Tuesday.” And my own final word: part of any defence against burglars has to be ... common sense.

When you’ve got over the shock of finding you’ve been burgled you’ve got two working days to inform your insurer. You must also tell the police immediately and send notification to the insurance company by registered letter even if you’ve already telephoned or e-mailed your agent or broker. And before you become a victim remember that the better protected your home the better terms you’ll get from the insurer. And more: you can get a tax-break against the cost of fitting an alarm system, conditional on the work being done by a professional (proof required) and the property being at least two years old. The security firms listed here can deal with your needs in English ... and their employees never arrive on horseback.

Azur Security (Bertrand Baumgartner):
Tel: 04 93 12 18 79
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
EASS (Owen Murrell):
Tel: 04 93 12 00 16
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
2ATS (Jean-Marie Ashby):
Tel: 04 93 00 19 20 or 0800 302 217

"Grow your own barbed wire"
That’s the advice of Kurt Stolz who lives just outside of Toulon. Twice burgled in a single year, he picked up a tip from a cousin who’s suffered a similar fate in a suburb of Stuttgart. “I’ve planted an array of prickly plants on trellises and below my walls. Anyone who tangles with these will come off badly and they’re cheaper than a dog. My favourite – it’s all along my backwall – is sea buckthorn or hippophae rhamnoides. They grow up to two metres tall and the look of them is as good as a growl.”

From Reporter 109 - June/July 2005

Set as favourite

Bookmark

Trackback(0)

TrackBack URI for this entry