People aren't burgling homes like they used to.
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Before, they wanted your DVDs and jewellery.
They were patient, creeping through the dark, finding empty houses.
Now they only want one thing - and day or night, vacant or full, any home on any street in any suburb.
They'll break in to get it.
Hide your keys
Two decades ago, it was almost unheard of for a crook to steal your car, ACT Policing Detective Sergeant Jason Dziubinski said.
"They were always after your DVDs, PlayStations, [TVs]", he said.
Now it's all they seem to want.
ACT Policing acting Inspector Ben Willis said they often steal cars to commit other crimes.
Just this Friday, a Porsche, and a Ford Mustang were among luxury cars, jewellery, and cash stolen during a crime spree spanning various Canberra suburbs.
Police believed up to six incidents on Thursday and Friday were connected after receiving a number of reports.
ACT Policing's Operation TORIC is investigating the incidents.
"It doesn't matter if it's a $2000 old VN Commodore or a $40,000 brand new car," Inspector Willis said.
"That's [just] their means of transport to get from one crime scene to another."
Burglars may break into a house to obtain a key because many modern cars cannot be hotwired.
Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana said they "are getting bolder" because "every penny counts" in the current economy.
"I've heard stories of somebody finding a person in the house and scaring them off ... then [the next morning] they find that same person in their house eating food out of their fridge and pockets full of jewellery," he said.
Burglaries were traditionally more likely to happen during the summer months when people were away. Now they could happen at any time, including when people are at home, Inspector Willis said.
"It can be any time, day or night; there's no hard and fast rule about when they'll go anymore," he said.
But despite Canberra lore, police said no crime types increase when Summernats is in town - including burglaries.
Brazen burglars
From 2014 to 2019, there was little change in the rate of reported burglaries in the ACT, according to ACT Policing data.
When the pandemic hit, the reported numbers dropped and has continued to decline. This includes break-ins to businesses, churches and shops.
In 2022, every suburb in Canberra except for Capital Hill, Molonglo and Uriarra Village had reported break-ins. Densely commercial suburbs of Belconnen and Fyshwick reported the most.
Burglars are opportunistic and won't necessarily target a wealthier suburb, the police said.
While inside, they will likely grab easily accessible wallets, electronics, jewellery, alcohol or cigarettes.
"Not always, but most of our offenders will look for that easy target because they're lazy," Inspector Willis said. "They want to be in and out and gone."
Keeping safe
Police recommend residents do what they call "target hardening": lots of little things which make it harder for your car or house to be broken into.
For example, make sure your doors and windows are locked, and you cannot see car keys or a wallet from a window.
Install a safe plate - registration plates with special screws - or steering wheel locks.
Consider a security system and put your car in the garage instead of out the front.
Rob Smith, owner of Canberra Security, said While CCTV cameras become more popular as they get cheaper, alarm systems are a better deterrent.
"I would personally recommend alarm systems before CCTV. The alarm system would protect your house while you're not there," he said.
Detective Sergeant Dziubinski also advised people not "flaunt your wealth" on social media.
The ultimate invasion
Particularly dangerous and disturbing is when victim's houses are broken into while they're at home.
Palmerston resident and The Canberra Times film reviewer Cris Kennedy was woken up by his growling Doberman on Boxing Day morning.
He said there were people in his house.
"I watched my Jeep driving down the street, driving past the window," Mr Kennedy said.
The alleged thieves stole wallets, phones and laptops. Police have accused two teenagers of stealing the car and leaving a 64-year-old man with life-threatening injuries.
"I haven't had nightmares since I was a kid [but] yesterday morning I woke up screaming. I was dreaming that people were coming into the house," he said.
"It's really traumatic."
Inspector Willis said residents should avoid conflict with a burglar.
"If you are confronted within your home, let the offenders take what they want. Don't confront them," he said.
"It's not worth your welfare and your family's welfare to confront them over a material object."
An understaffed police force
Mr Caruana said crimes of all types were going unreported because of an understaffed police force.
Residents and shopkeepers don't believe the police will turn up, so they don't call them - leading to an under-reporting of crime and inaccurate data.
ACT Policing and the union have asked the ACT government for more money and resources, saying they are understaffed.
READ MORE:
- Luxury cars, jewellery stolen in morning crime spree across ACT: Police
- Wig seems 'an extraordinary coincidence' in $13k jewellery robbery: magistrate
- 'Not a spur of the moment mistake': Teens behind bars, accused of string of burglaries
- 'You just feel violated': 19 shops in five suburbs hit in spate of burglaries
Inspector Willis said: "Our priority system [is that] people come before property, to be perfectly blunt.
"We just can't promise that when you're reporting a burglary to us, we've got enough in place to take care of those people issues, so we'll get to your burglary ... it might even be the next day."
He said that victims should try to keep crime scenes untouched for DNA and fingerprint collection.
Mr Caruana said it was important to report burglaries to ensure accurate data and because it may be a piece in a bigger crime.
"Every little bit of intelligence that police can gather from these sort of crimes is important," he said.
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