Summer is almost here and with it the holidays for thousands of residents and second home owners who will leave their apartments empty across the Canary Islands, which is also the favourite time for thieves who take advantage of them being unoccupied to help themselves to your belongings.
This is why the National Police have shared some advice on how to try and prevent this on social media, by teaming up with a neighbour to carry out a couple of very simple tasks that will deter them.
In one of its latest publications, the Police have demonstrated the ‘doormat tactic’. This is a really simple thing when your neighbour just moves your doormat slightly from time to time so it looks as though people are going in and out of your property.
Thieves usually observe the lack of movement at houses and apartments to find if their inhabitants are away or not, and this works in the same way as making sure that your mailbox doesn’t get too full or opening and closing curtains from time to time, signs that someone is still at home.
There are, however, tactics that the thieves will resort to see if you’re there or not, such as placing pieces of paper, sticks, or fine threads on the front door and frame. If the door is opened frequently, these markers will disappear, thus deterring the thief from trying to enter and moving on elsewhere.
In any case, if you observe any trick of this type or something that looks suspicious, call the National Police on 091 and report it immediately.
