A guide to burglary prevention. What are the critical hours? Here's how Georgians deal with it.

Rome, August 18, 2025 – Home burglaries : what to do? First of all, try not to tell your followers about your vacation ; instead, warn your neighbors. Because even burglars have eyes on social media; Georgians are still the most popular specialized gangs.

The thieves' latest high-profile victim is Fiorello , who pulled off a major heist and burgled his villa in Rome's Camilluccia neighborhood. But there's no need to bother celebrities; this is the most odious crime for Italians.

Home burglaries: the State Police's handbook. Among the good advice is establishing a good neighborly alliance, the first line of defense.

The dossier released by the Ministry of the Interior as usual for Ferragosto, reports a 7.7% drop in overall thefts : between 1 January 2025 and 31 July, 559,143 thefts were reported, compared to 605,968 in the same period in 2024.

At this link the data from the Viminale dossier

For three years, Censis and Verisure Italia have been updating the " Home Security Observatory ." Alarm system vendors are teaming up with those who can draw a clear picture. First, more than 400 home burglaries are committed every day in Italy. In 2023, there were nearly 148,000, just under 150,000 if we include robberies, a significant jump from the previous year. Perhaps this is why, when Italians were asked " What do you fear most?", 48% were undecided and chose that, a far cry from assaults (22.4%) and robberies (16%).

And in 2024? The Antigone association , again using data from the Ministry of the Interior, found that in the first half of last year, reports of thefts—in this case, the general category—increased by 2.26%: from 487,249, they rose to 498,299.

Again, according to Censis, one in four Italians has personally experienced this at least once; the preferred time slot for thieves is the afternoon, between 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM . Nearly seven out of ten victims said their home was empty. Finally, the report created a regional index of home security: Marche ranks first, Lazio last.

The burglars leave no trace of their presence , at least not on the front door. "You open the door and ask yourself, 'Didn't I double-lock the door?'" When that happens, the house has usually been visited. The burglars are always the same, "when there's no sign of a break-in, this is often a sign of Georgian-style crime." Guglielmo Battisti, senior officer of the State Police and head of the Bologna Flying Squad since April, arrested eight in his latest operation. When he worked in Reggio Emilia, he discovered a sort of school , where the younger ones learned the trade from the older ones, at the tool bench. Just look at the photos of the seized tools to understand: a burglary arsenal for finding the weak point in seemingly impregnable locks and windows. Not so reassuring during the days of the great exodus, when Italians are trying to enjoy a few days of vacation (prices permitting).

So what's the most effective defense against burglars? The head of the Flying Squad has no doubts: "We'd all like to have a police officer on our doorstep, and of course that's not possible. But we all have neighbors. During many burglary inspections, we ask questions of the person who lives next door to the victim and often hear the response: 'But I don't know that family... They come and go, I don't know...' So the first defense is to reclaim a sense of community."

Then, of course, "common sense rules" always apply: equip yourself with a sturdy lock, an alarm system, and video surveillance, and advertise it well. The places used to violate our peace and quiet are always the same: garden, window, balcony, front door.

These are also holidays and lonely seniors in the city. "We call them scams, but they're actually thefts ," Battisti reflects. "Thieves often break into homes by having the elderly person open the door. They're predators, taking advantage of trust in others or in institutions. They pose as police officers, carabinieri, gas workers. The question might be, 'Where do you keep your valuables? Let's check, we've heard there's been a theft...' Meanwhile, the bag disappears. There's no need to be afraid to raise suspicions about this. And let's remember that there's always 112 and 113; let's take all the time we need."

Italy's grandfather, Lino Banfi, was recruited by the Carabinieri last year to speak out against scams targeting the elderly. And just on Saturday, the wildly popular actor, a firm fixture in Italian hearts, reported being deceived by artificial intelligence. His voice was reproduced to advertise a cream. A complaint has already been filed.

Before closing the door, it's worth thinking about it and organizing yourself as follows: "Possibly don't advertise your departure on your WhatsApp status or post it on Facebook. We don't know how this information might be used. It's also not wise to leave valuables behind , because thefts these days mostly concern things that can be carried; in addition to designer handbags, money and jewelry are stolen. If we're leaving for a long time, let's keep them safe in safety deposit boxes . And remember to notify the neighbors."

"Residential burglaries are usually reported, partly because people want to talk about them," the police chief emphasizes. "How do gangs operate? We often see that they are extremely mobile. They change from one moment to the next. For example, the Georgians we arrested were living in a B&B, with rental cars, always registered in other people's names. Ultimately, they're ghosts. At least the ones who do it professionally. They leave no trace, they leave nothing in their name, perhaps they rely on a fellow countryman, who provides a logistical base. Reports are important because they allow us to detect the phenomenon. Because we often arrive a little late, especially during the holiday season. The theft is discovered after two weeks, but that group has already moved on."

And what role do women play ? "In my experience, they usually offer hospitality . I investigated a group of nomads who used minors to steal. Those boys couldn't be charged because they were under 14. But they were very crude thefts, with a screwdriver or breaking a window, without preliminary checks."