How to secure your home against burglaries

Which entry points to the home need to be secured?

Burglars don't always come in through the front door. Protecting your home therefore begins with a complete inventory of all its openings: those on the ground floor, as well as those in the garage, the yard, and any accessible upper floors.

Identify the most vulnerable entry points

In 2025, the police and the gendarmerie recorded 211,600 residential burglariesin France, which is 3% less than in 2024, according to theStatistical overview of crime in 2025 from the SSMSI (Statistical service of the ministry of the Interior). This tally includes only the incidents known to law enforcement. Walk around your home and check these entry points:

• Doors: front door, garage door, door connecting the garage to the house, and doors leading to the garden.
• Glazed openings: French doors and windows accessible from the outside.
• Lower and upper access points: basement windows, cellars, as well as access points from a balcony, a courtyard, or a roof.

According to an insee victimization survey covering 2016–2018, 64% of households that were victims reported that a door had been forced open or that an attempt had been made to force it open. A broken window was involved in 23% of these cases, and 18% mentioned climbing over a balcony or a fence. A reinforced entrance is not enough if a weaker garage door leads into the home: the path of least resistance must also be protected.

Secure windows and secondary entrances

A window on the ground floor or one accessible from a balcony, terrace, or flat roof is treated as a potential entry point. On upper floors, the landing door and access points from the common areas still need to be reviewed. A window’s resistance depends on the frame, the glazing, the hardware, and the fasteners: laminated glass is not automatically burglar-resistant, a performance criterion classified by the NF EN 356 standard (the European standard for safety glazing against manual attack).

For openings that are easy to access, the construction quality agency (an organization dedicated to preventing building defects) cites sturdy shutters, locking systems, and bars. In addition, check the locks, frames, and lighting on service and garden doors, which are often less closely monitored than the main entrance.

Monitor the surrounding area and control access

Security cameras help verify an alert without significantly delaying a break-in. IP models transmit their images over the network: some via Wi-Fi, others via a PoE (Power over Ethernet) cable that provides both a connection and power—two options available inthe IP camera lineup offered by DomeaShop.

Intercoms, video intercoms, access badges, and keypads provide access control at the entrance, without replacing security measures at other entry points. In practice, according to the CNIL (the French data protection authority), a private camera may film your property but not public roads, and its angle must also respect the privacy of your neighbors. This framework applies to any project aimed at ensuring the safety of your home.

How can i reinforce my front door and its lock?

The front door remains a vulnerable point that must be addressed with care. To enhance the security of this access point, it is necessary to take a comprehensive approach, supplement it with mechanical safeguards, and verify that the products are properly certified.

Inspect the entire door

The strength of the entrance depends on the door, the door frame, the fasteners, the hinges, the strike plate, the cylinder, and the lock. Replacing only the cylinder may leave another weak point unaddressed.

First, check for any play around the door panel, then check that the strike plate is secure and properly fastened to the wall. It's the details that make the difference: effective intrusion protection requires that no single component fail before the others.

A glass panel near the lock is also worth noting. If the glass breaks, it allows the door to be closed from the outside; therefore, its position is taken into account in the door’s evaluation.

Add useful mechanical safeguards

Anti-pinch corner brackets prevent a tool from being inserted between the door and its frame. Installing them alters the door assembly and may require a professional. An additional lock provides a mechanical lock for a door, window, or picture window, provided that its mounting bracket and fasteners are sturdy.

Behavior matters just as much as equipment when it comes to improving safety. The police and gendarmerie recommend securing the door properly, conducting visual checks of visitors, using a door stop, and double-locking the door—even when occupants are present. If you lose your keys or move into a new place, change the locks.

Verify the strength certifications

A multi-point lock refers to a locking mechanism, not a level of resistance. For an A2P lock (French certification for burglary resistance), the CNPP (National center for prevention and Protection) distinguishes three levels corresponding to 5, 10, and 15 minutes of minimum laboratory testing. Check the exact product reference number in the CNPP's list of certified products.

For residential properties, these response times do not guarantee the same response time in the event of an actual burglary. A BP1-, BP2-, or BP3-certified burglar-resistant door assembly is effective only if the entire unit is installed exactly as it was tested; this is why it is important not to replace any single component on its own in an attempt to delay a break-in.

Which alarm system should you choose, and who handles its alerts?

An alarm detects and signals an attempted break-in or an actual intrusion without increasing the mechanical strength of the openings. It therefore complements the reinforced door. The decision focuses on access coverage, equipment reliability, and the organization of the response to alerts.

Secure access points and sensitive areas

Once the system is armed, each detection is reported to the control panel, which, depending on its programming, triggers a siren and, if necessary, a remote alert. The function of an intrusion alarm system relies on three types of sensors, the placement of which depends on the entry points and the rooms to be protected:

• Openings sensors: perimeter protection for doors and windows.
• Motion detectors: volumetric protection inside rooms.
• Impact detectors: Detect an attack on the window sash before it opens.

The kits offered inThe catalog of wireless intrusion alarms DomeaShop's products include, among others, a control panel, door and motion sensors, sirens, and remote controls. Depending on the layout of the home, zoning a burglar alarm can, for example, protect the ground floor while the occupants are sleeping upstairs.

Compare the reliability of equipment

Most wireless kits can be installed without wiring and are paired using a smartphone or a setup button. DomeaShop recommends checking the protocols and radio compatibility before making a purchase. The battery life of wireless detectors generally ranges from 1 to 3 years, depending on usage and battery quality. Next, compare these criteria:

• Emergency power supply: Ensures continued operation in the event of a power outage.
• Failover Transmission: Sends alerts after an Internet outage and detects attempts to disable the system.
• Settings: Reducing false alarms and ensuring compatibility with pets.
• Maintenance: monitoring of batteries and the transmission.

To counter jamming, DomeaShop offers, among other products, radio alarms with encryption and anti-jamming features. For a certified alarm system, the NF&A2P certification covers control panels, transmitters, detectors, alarms, and power supplies following testing. The NF EN 50131-1 standard and the APSAD R81 professional guideline (French standard for the design and installation of intrusion detection systems), february 2021 edition, also serve as benchmarks.

Plan for the receipt and processing of alerts

Depending on the model, an app-controlled alarm sends remote notifications. Smart home alarms The systems offered by DomeaShop can include sirens, transmitters, and home automation features. The DGCCRF (Directorate general for competition, consumer affairs, and fraud Control) recommends changing default passwords and installing updates.

With self-monitoring, you receive and manage notifications yourself: designate who will view the alert and be able to respond, because an unread notification protects no one. Conversely, in remote monitoring, a monitoring station processes the alert according to the subscribed service and may verify the situation before contacting law enforcement. The APSAD R31 standard, march 2026 edition, sets forth the requirements for these stations.

How can you protect your home while you're away?

Security systems alone aren't enough to prevent break-ins: thieves also look for signs that a home is empty. A few daily habits, preparing for your trips, and a clearly understood insurance policy round out your protection.

Adopting daily safety habits

The gendarmerie recommends locking doors and windows even when you're away for just a short time. This vigilance extends to the area around the house:

• Spare keys: Never leave them under a doormat, in a mailbox, or in an outdoor hiding place.
• Ladders and tools: stored and secured so they cannot be used to reach or force an opening.
• Motion-sensor outdoor lighting: It can make it visible when someone is approaching the home.

Light fixtures or controllable outlets can also simulate a presence. Best to use when you'll be away for several nights in a row: slightly varying ignition times, which are harder to detect than the same ignition time every day.

Planning for vacations and extended absences

The “Operation vacation peace of Mind” (an official patrol-based surveillance program) includes your home in the police or gendarmerie’s patrol routes. In police districts, this applies to a primary residence for an absence lasting from 3 days to 3 months. According to Service-Public, registration takes place between 45 and 3 days before departure.

In areas under the jurisdiction of the gendarmerie, the program covers primary and secondary residences for absences of up to 12 months. According to Service-Public, registration is available between 45 days before departure and the day before.

A trusted neighbor or relative can collect your mail, operate the shutters, and notice something unusual: Be sure to mention their visit—or the use of a motion detector—when you sign up to avoid any misunderstandings. To deter burglars, do not post departure dates or photos showing an empty home on social media, and have the exterior of your home maintained during a long absence.

Check your insurance and keep proof of coverage

According to Service-Public, theft coverage depends on the policy. Check the required coverage and whether it is actually in effect, the property covered, outbuildings, valuables, coverage limits, the deductible, and the terms and conditions in the event of a prolonged absence. Failure to use coverage may jeopardize your claim.

Take photos of your valuable possessions and keep receipts, item numbers, and serial numbers: these details will make it easier to provide proof to your insurer. Digital copies preserve these documents if the originals are lost in a theft.

After a burglary, the complaint receipt, the inventory of missing items, and the repair estimates are included in the case file. The contractual deadline for reporting a theft may not be less than 2 business days, unless a more favorable provision applies, pursuant to article L.Section 113-2 of the insurance Code.