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FROM ASKING THE POLICE TO CHECK ON YOUR PROPERTY TO INSTALLING AN ALARM, WE LOOK AT WAYS YOU CAN PROTECT AGAINST BEING BURGLED THIS SUMMER 1. GIVE THE IMPRESSION SOMEONE IS AT HOME A simple

way to dissuade burglars is to give the impression that someone is home. In today’s world of connected technology, it is straightforward to programme lights, the TV or the radio to turn on

and off at specific times. Tell a close neighbour or friend you are going away, so they can keep a close watch on your property. You could also ask them to go over and open and close the

shutters - and maybe water the plants while they are there! To stop your post building up - a classic sign someone is away - request someone you trust to pick it up or ask France’s postal

service La Poste to hold it for you or to temporarily divert it elsewhere. 2. ASK THE POLICE TO CHECK ON YOUR PROPERTY The French police and gendarmerie offer an _Opération tranquillité

vacances _service (literally translating as ‘operation calm holidays’), meaning they will monitor your home while you are away. They will keep tabs on a primary residence for between three

to 90 days. You must sign up for the service at least three before you go. The gendarmes, meanwhile, will also monitor second homes and will do so for up to 12 months. You can sign up online

HERE or at a police station. READ MORE: DID YOU KNOW FRENCH POLICE CAN CHECK ON YOUR HOME WHILE YOU ARE AWAY? 3. DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOUR HOLIDAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA The information we post on

social media can be easily seen by people with less than honourable intentions. The Hérault gendarmerie in the south of France posted a Facebook post on June 28 showing the dangers of

talking about your holidays online. According to TV channel TF1 info, the worst place to talk about your upcoming holiday is Twitter, where some burglars use precise keywords to identify

potential targets. 4. REINFORCE YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS There is a well-known French saying "_Chassez-le par la porte, il rentrera par la fenêtre_" which translates as “chase him

from the door, he will enter by the window”. To ensure potential thieves do not enter through your doors or windows, you can install unbreakable glass, which costs between €115 to €250 per

m2, add a lock to your shutters and even put bars on windows. TFI, meanwhile, recommends glass doors be avoided as they can be smashed easily. It also recommended hiring a professional

locksmith to install a multi-point lock which will not give way to a simple kick. When moving to a new home, it is worth changing the locks, as you do not know who previous residents have

given keys to. And above all - remember to close and lock windows and doors when you go away. 5. THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD GET IN IF YOU WERE LOCKED OUT One way to protect your property from

being burgled is to think about how you would try and get in if you were locked out. Make sure there are no items in the garden, such as chairs or the bin, that could be used to access

upstairs windows. Cut back overgrown plants and make sure no trees or vines provide a handy way of climbing your home’s walls. 6. GET AN ALARM Even if a burglar manages to get inside your

home, an alarm going off can stop them in their tracks and send them packing, especially in urban areas where someone will hear it. You can get various types of alarms, from ones that go off

when windows are broken or doors forced, to ones that merely pick up movement inside the house. If you have a house, an outside movement detector light can dissuade burglars, as can signs

saying «_Maison sous surveillance_ » or « _Chien méchant_» (house under surveillance and beware of the dog, respectively). 7. PREPARE FOR THE WORST Finally, the consumer association UFC-Que

Choisir recommends you get a safe to put valuable items in. It also suggests you take photos of your valuables to give to the police and your insurance company in case you are burgled. Read

your house and contents insurance carefully and ensure you meet all the criteria for protecting your belongings (security system, type of safe etc). The last thing you want to discover after

being burgled is that your insurance is not valid! RELATED ARTICLES I HAVE A SECOND HOME IN FRANCE, WHAT SHOULD I DO IF SQUATTERS GET IN? MAP: WHICH AREAS OF FRANCE ARE WORSE FOR HOUSE

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