Be aware!
France Made Easy
Bridging the gap between French and English
Property Security
I’ve recently been involved in interpreting in people’s homes and at the gendarmerie after some break-ins.
I’ve learned a lot recently about how both the burglars and the gendarmes work, so thought I would share it on the website. It relates directly only to this small area of North Dordogne, but much of it will be appropriate elsewhere in France. I’ve discussed most of it with the gendarmes and taken advice from them as to what the risks are, what to do.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts to help prevent a burglary:
DO:
Always lock your doors and close windows when leaving the house. It’s wise to close shutters too if you have them, but obviously a bit of a bother if you’re only nipping down to the shops. Note that if you DON’T lock doors and windows, and if you have a break-in, your insurance probably won’t cover you for any losses.
Tell close friends and neighbours if you’re going away. You can also inform the gendarmerie who will, in theory, keep an eye on your house. I don’t know how much they really do this in practice, but it can’t do any harm and may help in the event of an insurance claim.
Leave a key with someone and ask them to call the gendarmerie if they see anything suspicious at your property.
Be on the look out for anyone acting suspiciously in the area.
If you see people in cars appearing to be watching your or your neighbour’s property, at least make a mental note of the make, model and colour of the car, and try to look for the sex, ages and appearance of he occupants. If you can, note the number plate. If you feel sure they are up to no good, inform the gendarmes.
If you have people calling to the house offering to do gardening, sweep your chimneys etc, always ask for the SIRET number and artisans identity card. Don’t be fooled by them waving an invoice book at you etc of offering to give you a receipt or certificate after they have done the work. In some cases these people come in a vehicle, in which case take the details and if you’re suspicious warn your neighbours and inform the gendarmes. They may be simply looking for work on the black or they may be trying to get access to your house with a view to theft, either at the time or at some later date.
If anyone appears across your garden on foot, if you find someone looking around outbuildings etc, ask them what they are doing, if they offer to do work of some sort say you’re not interested and, since they were found on your property, immediately call the gendarmes.
In one of the cases I was involved in, two neighbours had had people looking around in the days before the break-in, both had challenged them. The intruders asked if there were other English people in the area. Two people in a car had been seen parked suspiciously near the property earlier in the day. None of these events had been reported. If they had, it’s possible that the burglary could have been prevented.
DON’T:
Tell all and sundry in the local bar or whatever, that you’re going away. Even if you’re telling friends, you can be overheard.
Leave doors open or unlocked when you are out, or even in your house or garden out of earshot, or overnight. This is something that I think many of us regularly do and have probably done for years. Needless to say we shouldn’t leave cars parked outside, unlocked and with keys in either!
What do do if you arrive home and notice something wrong
If you come home and notice something strange, something not quite as you left it, immediately stop, and think before you act. Look for other signs of change. Don’t touch or move anything at all. Before entering the house, look and listen, and don’t go in, at least not alone, if you think there’s a possibility that a stranger is in the house. If you have a mobile, keep watch and call a friend or neighbour or call the gendarmes. If you can’t call, go and find someone then come back immediately. As you enter your house, again look for changes and don’t touch anything. If you are sure that someone has been in the house, or outbuildings, call the gendarmes and wait for them to arrive. They will normally come prepared to take photos and fingerprints which may help catch the culprit and may also help in any insurance claim. Resist the temptation dash immediately and look in the secret place where you keep your jewelery, money etc since you may destroy evidence. You are also likely to be in shock and find it difficult to think clearly, so listen to the advice of others and the gendarmes in particular.
Two general scenarios are possible, and anything in between.
Your house has been ransacked, things thrown around, your possessions may be all over the floor, some of them broken. Having seen this at first hand this week, the shock is enormous. Eventually obviously you, probably with the help of friends, will have to tidy it all up, but don’t do this immediately even though it’s upsetting to see it like that. The gendarmes need to see, and photograph, this in case it’s needed at some point for evidence.
You could also find that everything looks almost normal but a door left closed is now open, or vice versa, or something on a table, desk or dressing table isn’t quite in it’s usual place. I’m told that in the case of the burglars who come ‘looking for work’ it’s very common for them to put everything back exactly as it was in the hope that it will be some time before the owner notices the loss. If you’re absolutely sure that someone has been in, call the gendarmes immediately anyway, even if you’re not yet sure if anything has been taken. They will help you check without risking destroying any evidence.
What happens next?
When the gendarmes arrive they may start by taking a general look around, possibly including outbuildings etc. They may ask a few questions or say very little initially but they are using this time to look for clues. They will then ask detailed questions about your name and address, about when you went out, what time you came back, what you first noticed, if you had seen anything suspicious etc. Then they will carefully look around, take photos and see if they can find suitable surfaces on which to take fingerprints. They are likely also to ask for your and your family’s fingerprints - more about this later. They may also ask to take items away to try to retrieve DNA samples. When they have gathered all the evidence they can they will ask you to come to the gendarmerie, probably not immediately, to ‘poser plainte’, ie make a formal complaint. You will be asked to bring some identification and your insurance documents.
Making an official complaint
When you arrive at the gendarmerie you will be interviewed, asked to tell explain what happened and the gendarmes will type a statement according to what you say. If you don’t speak good French it is worth taking with you someone who does. That person will also be required to show identification and sign to say that they have been the interpreter, so make sure in advance that they will be willing to do this. They will read the statement back to you, ask if it’s correct, you can alter and they can edit as much as you like until you’re all sure that everything is right. They will either include insurance details to help you make a claim, or, if you had left your house unlocked so they can’t prove that a ‘break-in’ happened, add a paragraph stating that you will be officially informed if the culprit is caught, and of the court date, so that you can make a private claim for loss and damages against the culprit) If you haven’t already given fingerprints you may now be asked to do so, along with anyone else who may have recently touched items on which they have found useful prints.
A note about fingerprints & DNA
Fingerprints and DNA are not as easy to find and take as it appears on the TV! The gendarmes may try to take various prints and many of them won’t be successful, or not adequate to be used in evidence. If they do find useful prints they will keep them in a database for a legally specified period of time, which is related to the possible length of sentence for the crime which has been committed. So... even if they don’t catch the culprit as a result of your break-in, they will, if they catch the culprit in future, also charge him/her with your break-in. Your own, and family/friends prints, are made on a card which is only used to compare to the prints they have taken at the scene of the crime - they are NOT kept on record. I imagine the same is true of DNA but have never been involved with this and not asked the question.
A note about dogs
A dog is useful when you are at home if it barks and alerts you to someone’s presence. A dog CAN be useful in deterring a burglar, but the gendarmes say that although many people think their dog is a deterrent, burglars can be quite confident and not put off by dogs. In both recent cases I have been involved with the people broke in despite the presence of the dogs, and in one case the dog was shut in the kitchen and the door blocked with a chair, so this was in fact the first thing the owner noticed when she arrived home. So.. if you have a ‘real’ guard dog, great, but if not, don’t assume that your family dog will be able to guard your house!
If you are a friend/neighbour/housesitter etc and discover a break-in
I have, with a friend, been in this position myself recently. It’s not easy to make the decision to call the gendarmes to someone else’s house, particularly if you can’t or don’t want to contact the owner and spoil a holiday of a lifetime! But if you are sure that someone has been in the house, even if you’re not aware of anything being stolen, the general advice remains the same. Don’t touch anything, don’t start going through things to see if you think anything is missing, call the gendarmes and when they come give as much information as you can. The gendarmes will then continue as above, take evidence, help you make sure that the house is secure as possible, agree to patrol the area, but may not formally be able to act until the owner comes back to make an official complaint. When the owner comes back, or on the phone/be email if necessary, break the news gently and then get them to look for anything missing or stolen and then contact the gendarmerie to make an appointment.
An offer of help
If you don’t speak French and if you live in the areas covered by the Nontron or Piegut gendarmeries, I will, if you wish, call the gendarmes on your behalf, free of charge.
If your house is broken into, you can call my mobile, 0622 534749. I will need your full name, address, phone number, directions to the property and a rough idea of what has happened. Leave a message if I don’t reply, I check messages and call back asap.
If you want to report anything suspicious this is best done by the contact form on the site where you should put as much detail as you can possible give. I’ll then get back to you by phone to confirm and call the gendarmerie for you. If you think it’s an emergency, again you can call the mobile.
Please note I won’t call the gendarmes or report anything suspicious if you can’t or don’t want to tell me, or the gendarmes, who you are. They may or may not act on anonymous complaints, depending on the circumstances, but I’m not willing to act as a go-between if that’s the case.
If you would like me to come to house when the gendarmes arrive, I will do so at normal rates if I’m free or can get away.
If you feel you can manage that, perhaps with the help of friends or neighbours, but need help with the visit to the gendarmerie, making your statement and ensuring that they have written it all down correctly, again I can do that by appointment and at normal rates.
For people in other areas, if you don’t speak French I suggest that you find in advance someone who would be willing to make calls and deal with the gendarmerie with you.
I’ve recently been involved in interpreting in people’s homes and at the gendarmerie after some break-ins.
I’ve learned a lot recently about how both the burglars and the gendarmes work, so thought I would share it on the website. It relates directly only to this small area of North Dordogne, but much of it will be appropriate elsewhere in France. I’ve discussed most of it with the gendarmes and taken advice from them as to what the risks are, what to do.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts to help prevent a burglary:
DO:
Always lock your doors and close windows when leaving the house. It’s wise to close shutters too if you have them, but obviously a bit of a bother if you’re only nipping down to the shops. Note that if you DON’T lock doors and windows, and if you have a break-in, your insurance probably won’t cover you for any losses.
Tell close friends and neighbours if you’re going away. You can also inform the gendarmerie who will, in theory, keep an eye on your house. I don’t know how much they really do this in practice, but it can’t do any harm and may help in the event of an insurance claim.
Leave a key with someone and ask them to call the gendarmerie if they see anything suspicious at your property.
Be on the look out for anyone acting suspiciously in the area.
If you see people in cars appearing to be watching your or your neighbour’s property, at least make a mental note of the make, model and colour of the car, and try to look for the sex, ages and appearance of he occupants. If you can, note the number plate. If you feel sure they are up to no good, inform the gendarmes.
If you have people calling to the house offering to do gardening, sweep your chimneys etc, always ask for the SIRET number and artisans identity card. Don’t be fooled by them waving an invoice book at you etc of offering to give you a receipt or certificate after they have done the work. In some cases these people come in a vehicle, in which case take the details and if you’re suspicious warn your neighbours and inform the gendarmes. They may be simply looking for work on the black or they may be trying to get access to your house with a view to theft, either at the time or at some later date.
If anyone appears across your garden on foot, if you find someone looking around outbuildings etc, ask them what they are doing, if they offer to do work of some sort say you’re not interested and, since they were found on your property, immediately call the gendarmes.
In one of the cases I was involved in, two neighbours had had people looking around in the days before the break-in, both had challenged them. The intruders asked if there were other English people in the area. Two people in a car had been seen parked suspiciously near the property earlier in the day. None of these events had been reported. If they had, it’s possible that the burglary could have been prevented.
DON’T:
Tell all and sundry in the local bar or whatever, that you’re going away. Even if you’re telling friends, you can be overheard.
Leave doors open or unlocked when you are out, or even in your house or garden out of earshot, or overnight. This is something that I think many of us regularly do and have probably done for years. Needless to say we shouldn’t leave cars parked outside, unlocked and with keys in either!
What do do if you arrive home and notice something wrong
If you come home and notice something strange, something not quite as you left it, immediately stop, and think before you act. Look for other signs of change. Don’t touch or move anything at all. Before entering the house, look and listen, and don’t go in, at least not alone, if you think there’s a possibility that a stranger is in the house. If you have a mobile, keep watch and call a friend or neighbour or call the gendarmes. If you can’t call, go and find someone then come back immediately. As you enter your house, again look for changes and don’t touch anything. If you are sure that someone has been in the house, or outbuildings, call the gendarmes and wait for them to arrive. They will normally come prepared to take photos and fingerprints which may help catch the culprit and may also help in any insurance claim. Resist the temptation dash immediately and look in the secret place where you keep your jewelery, money etc since you may destroy evidence. You are also likely to be in shock and find it difficult to think clearly, so listen to the advice of others and the gendarmes in particular.
Two general scenarios are possible, and anything in between.
Your house has been ransacked, things thrown around, your possessions may be all over the floor, some of them broken. Having seen this at first hand this week, the shock is enormous. Eventually obviously you, probably with the help of friends, will have to tidy it all up, but don’t do this immediately even though it’s upsetting to see it like that. The gendarmes need to see, and photograph, this in case it’s needed at some point for evidence.
You could also find that everything looks almost normal but a door left closed is now open, or vice versa, or something on a table, desk or dressing table isn’t quite in it’s usual place. I’m told that in the case of the burglars who come ‘looking for work’ it’s very common for them to put everything back exactly as it was in the hope that it will be some time before the owner notices the loss. If you’re absolutely sure that someone has been in, call the gendarmes immediately anyway, even if you’re not yet sure if anything has been taken. They will help you check without risking destroying any evidence.
What happens next?
When the gendarmes arrive they may start by taking a general look around, possibly including outbuildings etc. They may ask a few questions or say very little initially but they are using this time to look for clues. They will then ask detailed questions about your name and address, about when you went out, what time you came back, what you first noticed, if you had seen anything suspicious etc. Then they will carefully look around, take photos and see if they can find suitable surfaces on which to take fingerprints. They are likely also to ask for your and your family’s fingerprints - more about this later. They may also ask to take items away to try to retrieve DNA samples. When they have gathered all the evidence they can they will ask you to come to the gendarmerie, probably not immediately, to ‘poser plainte’, ie make a formal complaint. You will be asked to bring some identification and your insurance documents.
Making an official complaint
When you arrive at the gendarmerie you will be interviewed, asked to tell explain what happened and the gendarmes will type a statement according to what you say. If you don’t speak good French it is worth taking with you someone who does. That person will also be required to show identification and sign to say that they have been the interpreter, so make sure in advance that they will be willing to do this. They will read the statement back to you, ask if it’s correct, you can alter and they can edit as much as you like until you’re all sure that everything is right. They will either include insurance details to help you make a claim, or, if you had left your house unlocked so they can’t prove that a ‘break-in’ happened, add a paragraph stating that you will be officially informed if the culprit is caught, and of the court date, so that you can make a private claim for loss and damages against the culprit) If you haven’t already given fingerprints you may now be asked to do so, along with anyone else who may have recently touched items on which they have found useful prints.
A note about fingerprints & DNA
Fingerprints and DNA are not as easy to find and take as it appears on the TV! The gendarmes may try to take various prints and many of them won’t be successful, or not adequate to be used in evidence. If they do find useful prints they will keep them in a database for a legally specified period of time, which is related to the possible length of sentence for the crime which has been committed. So... even if they don’t catch the culprit as a result of your break-in, they will, if they catch the culprit in future, also charge him/her with your break-in. Your own, and family/friends prints, are made on a card which is only used to compare to the prints they have taken at the scene of the crime - they are NOT kept on record. I imagine the same is true of DNA but have never been involved with this and not asked the question.
A note about dogs
A dog is useful when you are at home if it barks and alerts you to someone’s presence. A dog CAN be useful in deterring a burglar, but the gendarmes say that although many people think their dog is a deterrent, burglars can be quite confident and not put off by dogs. In both recent cases I have been involved with the people broke in despite the presence of the dogs, and in one case the dog was shut in the kitchen and the door blocked with a chair, so this was in fact the first thing the owner noticed when she arrived home. So.. if you have a ‘real’ guard dog, great, but if not, don’t assume that your family dog will be able to guard your house!
If you are a friend/neighbour/housesitter etc and discover a break-in
I have, with a friend, been in this position myself recently. It’s not easy to make the decision to call the gendarmes to someone else’s house, particularly if you can’t or don’t want to contact the owner and spoil a holiday of a lifetime! But if you are sure that someone has been in the house, even if you’re not aware of anything being stolen, the general advice remains the same. Don’t touch anything, don’t start going through things to see if you think anything is missing, call the gendarmes and when they come give as much information as you can. The gendarmes will then continue as above, take evidence, help you make sure that the house is secure as possible, agree to patrol the area, but may not formally be able to act until the owner comes back to make an official complaint. When the owner comes back, or on the phone/be email if necessary, break the news gently and then get them to look for anything missing or stolen and then contact the gendarmerie to make an appointment.
An offer of help
If you don’t speak French and if you live in the areas covered by the Nontron or Piegut gendarmeries, I will, if you wish, call the gendarmes on your behalf, free of charge.
If your house is broken into, you can call my mobile, 0622 534749. I will need your full name, address, phone number, directions to the property and a rough idea of what has happened. Leave a message if I don’t reply, I check messages and call back asap.
If you want to report anything suspicious this is best done by the contact form on the site where you should put as much detail as you can possible give. I’ll then get back to you by phone to confirm and call the gendarmerie for you. If you think it’s an emergency, again you can call the mobile.
Please note I won’t call the gendarmes or report anything suspicious if you can’t or don’t want to tell me, or the gendarmes, who you are. They may or may not act on anonymous complaints, depending on the circumstances, but I’m not willing to act as a go-between if that’s the case.
If you would like me to come to house when the gendarmes arrive, I will do so at normal rates if I’m free or can get away.
If you feel you can manage that, perhaps with the help of friends or neighbours, but need help with the visit to the gendarmerie, making your statement and ensuring that they have written it all down correctly, again I can do that by appointment and at normal rates.
For people in other areas, if you don’t speak French I suggest that you find in advance someone who would be willing to make calls and deal with the gendarmerie with you.