More burglaries expected over Carnival weekend

Carnival revellers are being warned to ensure their homes are secure before leaving for the celebrations this weekend. With the Netherlands no longer in a lockdown, the number of burglaries has increased by 65 percent in recent weeks, compared to the same period in 2021 when some of the strictest lockdown measures were in place, according to De Telegraaf.

Now that the central and southern regions of the Netherlands are entering the Voorjaarsvakantie holiday period, this number is only set to increase while people are away from home.

Insurance firm Interpolis compared burglaries over the past two in a recent update. The organization tracks burglary and break-in statistics regularly. “During the lockdown periods in 2020 and 2021, many people stayed at home, and there was a clear decrease in the number of burglaries in the Netherlands. In 2021, the number of burglaries was 40% lower than in 2019. However, after each relaxation of the coronavirus measures, we see the number of burglaries increasing again,” Interpolis spokesperson Mireille van den Boom explained. 

Interpolis warned that 43% more burglaries can be expected in the southern provinces during Carnival. The cities in the south of the country with the highest number of burglaries around this time of year are Breda, Den Bosch, Oss, Tilburg, and Helmond, all of which are in Noord-Brabant.

Residents in at-risk areas are advised to pay better extra attention during busy events in their hometowns, and to keep their front door closed when parades march down their street. Processions are seen as an ideal moment for burglars to slip in and out of a home without being seen. People should also ask neighbors to keep watch if they stay home during the festivities.