Mumbai Police share important tips to keep burglars at bay

Recce is mostly done in the evening to keep an eye on flats with all lights switched off. Illustration/Uday Mohite

Concerned over growing burglaries during summer months when people go on vacations leaving their homes unattended, Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey wants citizens to keep their nearest police station informed about outstation visits. In the last of its 3-part series, mid-day throws light on this seasonal challenge that the city faces every year and how people can safeguard their properties.

Burglars employ several methods to ascertain if a house is unoccupied during the course of their recces, said an officer from Oshiwara police station.

A burglar checks the CCTV cameras at a SoBo society in Feb

"If the light is not peeking through the windows of your house locked from outside, it could be on the target of house breakers," said a Crime Branch officer from the city.

"The experienced burglars step out of their house during dusky hours to conduct recce of residential complexes. And their recce goes on till 11 o'clock or mid-night as people go to bed and most of the lights of the residential complexes go off," said the officer.

During morning hours, burglars look for clues through newspapers, milk packets piled up outside locked homes

"If you have flipped off all the switches of lights of your house to go outstation during summer vacation, it tempts the burglars to spend more time around your house to check the backside for easy access," the officer said.

Once the recce is done and a target house is finalised, they strike during pre-dawn hours when most people are in deep slumber.

Burglars try to hang out with security guards at tea stalls to ferret out info about status of flats, wealth of residents

Piled-up supplies outside

Not only in the evening, some burglars also conduct recces during morning hours. These criminals roam in posh areas to spot piled-up daily supplies like milk packets, newspapers, flowers or garland packets for puja, said another city Crime Branch officer.

"There are many bungalows and big mansions in Bandra and Khar. During summer vacations, the burglars become very active and they conduct recce during morning hours on pretext of doing jogging. They search for the piled-up daily supplies at the doorstep of a house locked from outside," he added.

They also tuck pamphlets on doors to check if it is removed the next day; if not it is an indication that the occupants are out

"Since most of the people install CCTV cameras at the entrance, the backside of huge mansions or bungalows remains vulnerable. And the burglars exploit these points to gain easy access to the house and decamp with valuables, cash and jewellery," the officer added.

A Crime Branch officer from south Mumbai said old structures under renovation are another ideal spot for burglars. "The scaffolding needs to be erected around old buildings for renovation. So, if the lights of houses at old buildings are switched off, the scaffolding makes it easier for the burglars to climb up and target flats on upper floors," added the officer.

The criminals use tools, sometimes gas cutters, during break-ins, which is mostly committed at pre-dawn hours

Pamphlets, a new trick

A senior Crime Branch officer from Thane said burglars have been adopting new ways to identify their targets and escape police surveillance.

"Burglars enter residential complexes with pamphlets in the afternoon and leave them tucked at your main door. The next day, they again visit the same area to see if the pamphlets are removed or still kept as they were tucked the previous day," said the officer. The crooks use the stairs, he said.

"If the pamphlets are not removed, the burglars start conducting further recce of the house to gain access. But this modus operandi works in a residential complex that doesn't keep a record of the visitors," the officer said. Housing societies must stop random vendors from entering their premises, or else the chances of burglaries would increase, he advised.

"Since most of the active members of the flats are out for work, the burglars are not easily noticed by the elderly or women in the flats. It is the reason they conduct recce in the afternoon," the officer added.

Info through guards, maids

Burglars often ferret out information about unoccupied flats through guards and house help by befriending them on the pretext of searching for jobs, said an officer from Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police.

"Burglars spend more time at the tea stalls or pan shops near residential complexes to befriend security guards, maids or local laundrymen to identify their next target," he said. "So, if you are going out on vacation, never let anyone know about your travel plan like when are you going and coming back," he said.

The officer said a few burglars even maintain a record of names of flat owners in elite housing societies.

"The burglars click the photo of the list of flat owners' names mentioned at the entrance of a building. During summer vacation, these burglars keep on checking their Facebook and Instagram profiles to see if they have posted any videos or photos," he added.

"It is always safe to keep the social your social media locked to keep your whereabouts hidden from strangers," said the officer.

Dos and Don'ts for summer vacationers

. Keep at least one light on to give the impression that the house is occupied
. Install at least one CCTV camera inside the house where valuables are kept; keep checking the footage on your mobile; alert the cops if you notice anything amiss
. Never announce your vacation plan on a public platform
. Keep good relations with your neighbours who can keep a good watch on your house in your absence
. Get police verification of maids done before hiring them
. Keep your social media profile locked to desist strangers from accessing your posts; or post pictures and videos only after you have returned home
. Do not announce your absence through answering machines