Anyone can become a victim of a robbery, because even a massive metal door cannot stop an experienced burglar. Attackers can break into almost any lock, quickly removing all valuables from the apartment. And if this happens, the victim should take a number of actions to speed up the process of catching the criminals and returning the stolen property.
The effectiveness of investigative measures largely depends on the correctness and timeliness of the measures taken. Below we will look at what to do if your house is robbed.
Statistics and features of the crime
Statistics show that thefts most often occur in large cities. This is due to the fact that it is easier to get lost in them. It is extremely difficult to remain unnoticed in a small settlement; urban apartment buildings, where even the neighbors do not know each other, are a different matter. You can enter your home without attracting unnecessary attention.
Moreover, more thefts occur during the day, when apartment owners are at work. As a rule, this is the time period from 9 to 12 (67%), or 12-15 hours (17%). In villages, the opposite picture is observed - all thefts occur in the evening or at night.
The situation worsens in the summer, when people go on vacation or live in the country, and their homes are left unattended.
"AiF Health" recommends
>> Be sure to lock the door, even if you go out for a moment - put your car in the garage, get a newspaper from the mailbox, or throw out the trash. >> When you come home with shopping, don’t rush to drag it into the kitchen - first close the door. >> Do not rush to the landing if the lights in the entire apartment suddenly go out late in the evening - this is a fairly well-known trick of intruders. It’s better to call your neighbors and go to the electrical panel with them. >> Strengthen the front door by choosing an iron door with a reliable lock (preferably with a lever mechanism, the reliability of which depends on the number of code plates). >> It would be a good idea to get window and door latches that prevent windows and doors from opening in your absence. >> A reliable way to protect your apartment is an alarm system. Special portable devices that activate an alarm can be carried with you or placed on a table by the bed. >> Do not advertise your absences and material well-being to others. >> Maintain good relations with your neighbors in the stairwell: their vigilance is the key to your safety. >> When you hear the doorbell ring, don’t run headlong to open it - first look through the peephole.
What attracts the attention of thieves?
Statistics show that criminal preferences vary by region:
- in Moscow they prefer to steal fashionable things;
- in the regions - money and jewelry;
- in villages and villages - livestock and food.
Antiques account for only 2% of total thefts.
Criminals always carefully choose the apartment they intend to rob. Often, good windows, modern split systems and antennas, and an expensive car indicate the wealth of the owners. There are cases when attackers track down people making expensive purchases in stores or act on a tip.
Most often, thieves enter homes in the following ways:
- pick the lock;
- pick up keys or use master keys;
- through a balcony or window openings;
- they knock down the door.
Only a small number of thefts are committed by professional thieves. In other cases, the criminals are persons who do not have a regular income or who come from neighboring countries.
This indicates that attackers often act “at random”, without a clearly developed robbery plan, and any opposition provided will scare them away.
Vigilance comes first
● If you still prefer active actions, resist, shout. Try to take advantage of the moment and jump out of the apartment, slamming the criminal in your apartment. ● The robber can be deceived. Promising to bring him home savings hidden in a safe place, and instead of getting them... a canister of nerve gas or tear gas. It’s good if you have these personal protective equipment and know how to use them. ● You can use a stun gun for protection. This self-defense tool is much easier to use than a spray can. And, unlike the latter, it does not require special conditions (special distance from the attacker, lack of wind, draft). ● You can protect yourself and your property by setting an alarm system in your apartment. This is especially recommended (if, of course, financial resources allow) for elderly single people. ● When calling a plumber, do not allow him to walk around the apartment, and do not leave valuables in sight. An experienced burglar can determine the well-being of your family based on the cosmetics in the bathroom alone. ● And one last thing. Don’t let your guard down, don’t invite random acquaintances into your apartment, don’t open the door to strangers. Always have the phone number of your local police department with you. And don’t carry your keys along with your passport (and the address of the apartment “where the money is”).
Remember, many burglaries are often the fault of the owners themselves. And even though they say that you can’t escape fate, it’s better not to tempt it.
What to do if your home is robbed?
First of all, call the police immediately. This can be done by calling 112 from a mobile phone or 02 from a landline. Before the arrival of the rapid response team, it is strictly forbidden to enter the residential premises - there is always a possibility that the criminals are still in the apartment.
If you do enter, do not touch anything until the forensic experts arrive. The premises must remain inviolable - you cannot remove scattered objects, restore order, i.e. perform any actions that may hide traces of a crime.
Inspection of the place can give an idea of the thief’s personal characteristics; for example, a professional criminal tries to act carefully and quietly, without attracting the attention of neighbors. Drug addicts and alcoholics show increased interest in alcoholic beverages or medications; they have little interest in fashionable new items or rare items. If food products are stolen, there is a high probability that the act was carried out by people without a fixed place of residence.
Note!
Analysis of evidence found during an inspection of the premises makes it possible to clarify the circumstances of the robbery and form an image of the criminal.
Next, you should file a theft report. It must be registered by a police officer, and you must be given a document confirming the fact of acceptance. The application is written in any form and must contain the following information:
- your passport details;
- the essence of the appeal;
- a detailed description of all the circumstances of the case;
- list of stolen property;
- date and signature.
Together with law enforcement officials, make a detailed inventory of all property that was stolen by the criminals, and indicate the distinctive features of the items.
In many cases, thieves are caught thanks to the help of neighbors, especially for older people who spend all their time at home or in the yard. They are able to provide information about the strangers they saw on the day of the robbery and give their descriptions.
Note!
Don't forget to change the locks. This must be done immediately. This will reduce the likelihood of theft happening again.
A few days after the crime, go to nearby buying and pawn shops, where stolen items are often sold. If found, do not rush to insist on an immediate return - return again with the police officer involved in your case.
The robbers found what to do next
If law enforcement officers managed to detect the intruders, they will be tried for theft under Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In this case, the victim has the right to compensation for the damage caused. This possibility is specified in Article 15 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. Accordingly, the victim can file a civil claim, demanding compensation from the criminal not only for material, but also for moral damage.
Filing civil claims is not within the competence of investigative authorities. Therefore, the victim will have to act independently. If he does not know how to correctly draft a claim and defend his position in court, he should involve an experienced lawyer in the case. You can get a free consultation on our website.
How to protect your home from theft?
Let's look at a few tips that will help minimize the risk of your belongings being stolen from your home.
Doors
In recent years, many inexpensive Chinese doors have appeared on the markets, and buyers are attracted by their cost. But people don’t take into account that it can be easily opened with a simple can opener; it takes thieves no more than 5 minutes. Preference should be given to all-metal structures. Their cost is much more expensive, but the price corresponds to the excellent technical characteristics.
Particular attention must be paid to the castle. Choose an imported mortise lock with a secret, preferably one with more than 3 turns of the key. It is better to install a latch or chain from the inside.
Window
To strengthen windows, try applying a special film to the inner surface of the glass, which will completely merge with it in 2-3 days. After this procedure, the window cannot be broken by anything. The service is expensive - for 1 sq.m. you will have to pay up to 4 thousand rubles.
You can use accessories that protect against burglary. When ordering plastic windows, ask the seller to equip them with special elements. They are inexpensive, but more reliable than grilles.
Install gratings - an old, proven method. Their range allows you to choose a design of any color and pattern.
Lock
Even if you have a high-quality, durable door, thieves can easily get into your home if the owners have not taken care of choosing a lock. There are 4 security classes of locks. Ordinary locks belong to the first class; a criminal can open them in a couple of minutes. Second class locks are also not particularly difficult. The burglar will have to work with the third one - it will take at least 20 minutes to open it, so if the thief is not sure of the presence of valuables, he is unlikely to contact your door. Fourth class locks can only be opened with special equipment, and this will take at least half an hour.
Today, the most reliable are electromechanical locks, which require the owner’s fingerprints and a special magnetic card to open. You cannot open it, you can only break it, and this is a rather lengthy and noisy process. However, they have a high cost. If you do not store serious valuables at home, then it is easier to put two locks of different classes on the door. This will discourage inexperienced and casual thieves.
Uninvited guest
A potential criminal catches up with you as you exit the elevator and demands that you open the door with your key? Try not to lose your composure. Use all your imagination. Pretend that you are going to visit, but you have the wrong entrance or floor.
However, experienced burglars usually do not act so rudely. Before committing a crime, they carefully study the lifestyle of the future victim, her habits, and daily routine. The robbery scenario in this case may look different. A criminal can enter an apartment using a master key or by taking advantage of the absent-mindedness of its residents. In this regard, experienced burglars have many different and well-tested tricks: from the classic “Open, you have a valuable parcel” to a request to answer questions in a sociological research questionnaire.
Therefore, be vigilant. Before opening the door to a stranger, check his ID (it's best to do this through a security chain or peephole).
If you neglected basic safety rules and an uninvited guest still ended up in your apartment, act according to the circumstances. Experts in the field of personal safety advise: in extreme situations, it is better to compromise. Even pretend to be asleep (when you are at home and unknown thieves opened your door with a master key). In this case, there is a chance that you will not be touched.
But you shouldn’t pretend to be an invincible ninja. Burglars are an unpredictable bunch. Especially if the thief is inexperienced, an amateur.
other methods
An alarm system is a reliable way to protect your home from uninvited guests. If it is installed, the object is connected to the security console. For such a service, a monthly subscription fee is charged, which many citizens are not happy with.
You can install a scare alarm that goes off with a deafening howl when you try to break into the room. Neighbors will always hear such a sound and call the police. There are no additional costs for servicing the device.
An effective way to find out the identity of the thief in case of illegal entry into an apartment is video surveillance. There are no trifles in matters related to the protection of property from criminal attacks, because only in a well-protected house can you feel safe.
Trap for a burglar
What to do when, approaching your own apartment, you find the front door open? Experts advise: do not go inside under any circumstances! Make sure first if there is anyone in your apartment. After all, the unknown attacker may be armed. While continuing to monitor the apartment, call the police immediately! It's better to call from your neighbors. Then you will be in the know.
A trap can be set for an unknown robber. To do this, just slam the door, leaving the key in the lock. In this case, before the police arrive, he will no longer be able to leave your apartment, and the crime will be evident.
A criminal can enter your apartment even in your presence. For example, when you take out a bucket. In such a situation, your action plan may be the same as described above.
If you didn’t notice the intruder and returned to the apartment after he had entered, immediately jump back out onto the staircase and make a noise. Instead of “Help, they’re robbing!” It’s better to shout: “Fire!” People are now timid, but few can resist the threat of fire.
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Robberies do not always occur spontaneously.
Much more often, robbers prepare for the crime in advance. Moreover, the richer the apartment designated for looting, the more thorough the preparation. It is this preparation that the owners of the attacked apartment can notice if they are sufficiently attentive and vigilant. Any seemingly insignificant incidents that took place near your door can serve as indirect signs of criminal interest in your home.
Someone knocked and left.
Criminological characteristics
The theft of property from an apartment occurs without the knowledge of its owners.
The criminal’s choice of theft methods is directly influenced by external and internal factors.
External factors are related to:
- the presence or absence of a connection between the target of the attack and the criminal;
- the nature of the object of the illegal act (it could be an apartment, cottage or dacha);
- location of the room;
- the state of personal property;
- the nature of the weapon used for the crime;
- the presence of accomplices.
Internal factors include:
- location of the crime target;
- availability of knowledge about the location of premises, entrances and exits, locks, places of storage of property,
- the victim's daily routine;
- having experience as a thief;
- individual characteristics of the criminal.
How to protect yourself from deception: what should a manager do if an employee steals
The company's profit depends not only on successful sales, but also on the honesty of its employees. Theft in the workplace increases losses and is a serious problem for small and medium-sized businesses. What should a manager do if he catches his employee stealing?
Reasons for theft
People with strong moral principles will never steal. But if an employee has more flexible ethics, he may well decide to steal. The trigger for such an act may be dissatisfaction with the level of wages, open access to material assets, imperfect accounting of the company and poor control over employees, due to which shortages are not immediately identified.
The negative attitude of employees towards the manager or the company itself also plays a huge role. It is rare, but it happens that theft occurs out of revenge for a refusal to receive a promotion or a desired increase in salary. In this case, it is worth thinking not only about improving the accounting and control system, but also about creating a favorable microclimate in the work team.
How to screen candidates when hiring
The first thing a manager can do when hiring a new employee is to contact their former employers or clients. The conversation will take no more than a quarter of an hour, but you will know all the nuances about the candidate. If an applicant for a position brings recommendations, there is no point in paying much attention to them: a positive review may turn out to be fake.
Find out why the employee left his previous job. Former employers may not admit that theft was committed. But you shouldn’t waste time and effort to insist on your own and get honest feedback. If this is not possible or something raises suspicions, ask the applicant for a police clearance certificate.
When hiring, the manager should try to establish a favorable relationship with the new employee within the framework of business ethics. If the position offers growth prospects, ask the applicant what their career ambitions are and what they want to achieve in the future. This way you will understand what the employee wants to get from the company, and how willing he is to be honest and loyal.
How to monitor employees legally
You can counter theft using digital security methods: installing a video camera in your office, recording conversations, tracking Internet activity, checking correspondence on social networks and email, controlling access to information, and others.
But they can only be used with the consent of the employees, which is specified in the employment contract. If the company is engaged in the creation of information products, the document indicates that the employee is developing it for the employer within the established time frame.
Subsequently, if an employee tries to appropriate the results of labor and resell them, it will not be difficult to prove the employer’s rights to this product.
What sanctions can be applied to an employee?
If an employee’s involvement in the theft is obvious, it is better to try to resolve this issue face to face, especially when the amount of theft is small. The employee must be interested in the peaceful resolution of the conflict. If the employer contacts law enforcement agencies, the court will issue a verdict, and it will be difficult to find another job with a criminal record.
But the company owner must remember: an attempt to return without a court decision an amount exceeding the employee’s salary is punishable by law, falling under the article on extortion. If an employee has stolen heavily and does not strive to resolve the conflict peacefully, it is better to immediately write a statement to law enforcement agencies.
Examples of theft
You can steal not only directly, taking money from the cash register. You can make a deliberate mistake in the invoice, indicating the wrong quantity of goods, and get rich from the difference.
In a store, employees can write off goods ahead of time, taking them for free, or make themselves a markdown. Another way of theft is to replace expensive goods with cheaper ones, so that not every buyer will notice the deception.
Theft can also take larger forms. For example, when purchasing goods or equipment, an accountant can indicate a higher cost of the product and take the difference for himself.
The best way for an employer to protect itself from dishonest employees is to keep things in order and conduct personal checks from time to time. Then the risk of theft will be minimized.
Investigation methodology
After a burglary has been discovered, an investigation into the crime begins. It includes several main stages.
Inspection of the place where the crime was committed
The inspection usually begins with the door or window from which the entry was made. After this, they move directly in the footsteps of the criminal. It is during the inspection that you can determine the thief’s skill level and detect such basic evidence as fingerprints, microparticles of clothing, and grains of soil from the soles. The approximate weight and height of the person who committed the crime is determined from the footprints of the soles.
Note!
Inspection of the premises plays a special role, because... allows you to see how the attacker acted (carefully or hastily), after which you can create a psychological portrait of him.
If the thief is a professional, he will not make noise and attract attention, but will try to remove material assets quietly and quickly.
Alcoholics and drug addicts will look for money, jewelry, alcoholic drinks and medications and may not pay attention to rare and fashionable items. If alcoholic drinks and food were stolen, then a homeless person could be operating in the premises.
By carefully analyzing the evidence found, you can create an image of the offender and recreate the picture of the theft. Based on this, a protocol for examining the scene of the incident is drawn up.
Questioning of property owners and people living there
Conducting a conversation with people living in the robbed premises, the investigator can establish:
- whether there were receipts, technical documentation, tags and passports for the stolen items;
- description of stolen material assets down to any signs, color, size or technical characteristics;
- the date of acquisition of the property and its approximate value at the time of theft;
- the presence of security measures taking into account the place and method of storing material assets;
- persons who knew about the presence of property;
- suspects who, in the opinion of the victim, could have committed a crime;
- measures that the homeowner took to protect property from robbery;
- availability of sets of keys to the apartment, as well as the likelihood of their loss or theft;
- reliability of door locks and window locks;
- the presence of possible witnesses to the crime;
- the opportunity to visit the home before the theft by strangers;
- the likelihood of surveillance of the apartment by strangers in the yard or directly at the entrance of the house;
- the likelihood of a crime being staged by persons to whom material assets were transferred for storage.
Interrogation of crime witnesses
Witnesses can be people who saw suspicious people entering the house and then taking out property, who tried to prevent the theft, and helped in catching the intruders.
In some cases, employees of pawnshops and jewelry stores that accepted jewelry and used goods may be questioned as witnesses. Conversations with them are important in order to establish whether the thieves were trying to sell the loot.
Note!
Witnesses can describe the appearance of criminals, pointing out distinctive features, talk about their number, methods of appearance (they moved on foot or in a car). Based on the results of the interrogation, a protocol is drawn up and signed by the witness.
Conducting a search
If a suspect appears, in addition to his interrogation, a search is carried out of his home and the place of residence of his relatives who may be involved in the commission of this act. This is done suddenly so that the suspect cannot hide the evidence.
Law enforcement officers inspect and confiscate the items found, after which the results of the search are recorded in the protocol. The subsequent stages of the investigation of residential burglary are similar to the procedure carried out when committing other types of theft.
Qualifying features
Like any other crime, burglary has its own qualifying characteristics. These are aggravating circumstances that increase the punishment. Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation summarizes the list of such factors.
Burglary and theft
This sign is not used when the thief is a person who can easily enter the premises. These could be acquaintances, friends or relatives of the victim.
Burglary involves secretly breaking into a residence or storage unit to take someone else's property. Most often we are talking about hacking. They break open the door to a living space by selecting keys and master keys. They can enter the apartment through windows. Such a criminal act is often associated with damage to a lock, window units, roof or doors.
Note!
For residential burglary, the offender is liable in accordance with paragraph 3 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Group of persons
Other qualifying signs of burglary include a crime committed by a group of persons. In this case, responsibility is assigned to each participant in the theft. There can be any number of them. Roles between members of the criminal group are distributed in advance.
Large size
The punishment is affected by the amount of damage. If it is less than 2.5 thousand rubles, the offender will be punished under the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. According to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, there are concepts of significant (more than 5,000 rubles), large (more than 250 thousand) and especially large damage (more than 1 million). The amount of the stolen goods is determined based on the average market value. In some cases, experts are brought in for this.
Signs of a staged burglary
Often, theft and burglary of locks is staged by the owners of the premises themselves. They do this for various reasons. Some people need to punish and illegally accuse another person, others want to get more money from another accused or illegally incriminate a person and cover up the traces of another crime, and others just want to get insurance for stolen property.
Signs of staging very often include the absence of fingerprints of the criminal and strange actions of the attacker. For example, an imaginary thief steals hidden jewelry and does not take a wallet that is lying in plain sight. In such cases, as a rule, there is no CCTV footage, and there are almost always no witnesses.
