Italy sees 40% rise in summer home burglaries, experts urge safety steps

Italy residential burglaries summer crime spike home security Verisure

In 2024 Italy recorded 155,590 residential burglaries, a 5.4% increase over the previous year. The number of offences grew sharply during the summer months, rising from 9,714 cases in May to 13,581 in August – a 39.8% jump.

The Osservatorio sulla Sicurezza della Casa Censis‑Verisure found that 72.6% of the burglaries occurred while homes were empty. Entry points were distributed as follows: 46.4% through windows or window‑doors, 33.7% through the main door and 14.6% via secondary doors.

Police, prefectures and security firm Verisure advise three basic pillars to reduce the risk: secure all doors and windows, refrain from sharing travel plans publicly, and enlist neighbours to watch the property. Additional recommendations include installing certified anti‑burglary doors, European‑cylinder locks, activating alarms and cameras, and using timers or smart plugs to simulate occupancy. Homeowners are urged to test security systems before departure and to ensure that gas, appliances and other utilities are safely shut off.

Entities: Censis · Censis‑Verisure Home Security Observatory · Censis‑Verisure Observatory · European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) · Italian Ministry of the Interior (Servizio Analisi Criminale) · Italian Prefectures · Italian motorists · Italian police · Italian vacationers · Italy · Ministry of the Interior (Italy) · Polizia di Stato (Italian Police)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] 59 % of Italians consider home burglary the most feared crime. (Osservatorio sulla Sicurezza della Casa Censis–Verisure 2025)
[● 2 SOURCES] Multi‑point window closures and laminated glass enhance home security. (Polizia di Stato advice)
[● 2 SOURCES] Installing certified anti‑burglary doors raises property value and reduces burglary risk. (Polizia di Stato advice)
[● 2 SOURCES] Programming lights and smart plugs to simulate presence reduces burglary risk. (Polizia di Stato advice)
[● 2 SOURCES] 70 % of burglaries occur when the house is empty. (Osservatorio sulla Sicurezza della Casa Censis–Verisure 2025)
[● 2 SOURCES] Upgrading old double‑map locks to European‑cylinder locks improves resistance to forced entry. (Polizia di Stato advice)
[● 2 SOURCES] Police and Prefectures advise three pillars: secure doors/windows, avoid sharing travel information, and involve neighbours. (Polizia di Stato and Prefetture)
[● 2 SOURCES] Activating alarms and cameras and testing them before departure is recommended. (Polizia di Stato advice)
[● 2 SOURCES] Italian Police, Prefectures and Verisure recommend three pillars for home security: lock doors and windows, avoid sharing travel information, and involve neighbours. (Advice from Polizia di Stato, Prefetture and Verisure)
[● 2 SOURCES] Installing certified anti‑burglary doors and European‑cylinder locks improves resistance to forced entry and can increase property value. (Security advice from Polizia di Stato and Verisure)
[● 6 SOURCES] 72.6 % of residential burglaries in Italy occur when the house is empty. (Censis‑Verisure Observatory 2024)
[● 6 SOURCES] 46.4 % of Italian home burglaries are committed through windows or window‑doors, 33.7 % through the main door and 14.6 % through secondary doors. (Censis‑Verisure Observatory 2024)