Burglars communicate with each other by coded messages, by drawing very specific symbols, often on the doors or walls of buildings. If you spot one of these symbols, here’s what it means.
Like every year, as summer approaches, burglaries increase. In 2023, more than 217 thousand burglaries have been recorded in France, according to the police and gendarmerie services. Thieves lie in wait and also find out about the habits of residents in the neighborhood, houses or buildings, to find out in particular whether surveillance cameras are installed.
And for good reason, burglars communicate with each other in a very particular way, with symbols drawn on doors or on the walls of buildings. A way to know precisely if the apartment in question is easily accessible, if it has video surveillance, if a guard dog is present, and a lot of other valuable information that helps them take action. . Or to move on. Here are the symbols used and what they mean if you spot one in or around your home.
Often written in chalk and rather discreet, these codes deciphered by the police are however not universal. They are often drawn following a burglary, to warn and inform others who may in turn try to force a lock. Some signs, for example, refer to the security of the home: the circle indicates that the house is easy to access and that no alarm system has been identified. Conversely, the inverted Y means that an alarm has been detected or that another danger is expected (presence of a dog, police officer or gendarme living inside). The diamond means that the house is unoccupied and poorly monitored, the triangle indicates that a single woman lives there and the circle crossed out with a cross is undoubtedly the one that will scare away the next burglar: it tells him that it is better not to don’t rob this house.
Certain codes also specify the most opportune time to burglarize a house: the N means that it is better to come at night, the D (Sunday), the AM to indicate that no one is there in the afternoon. Additionally, if you spot three small circles, this indicates that you are a priority target and that you have interesting loot to steal. Conversely, a straight line should not attract other thieves. The cross should also alert you: it means that a burglary project is in progress, or should be planned in the coming days.
And when the house has already been burglarized, the thugs then draw a rectangle topped by a small circle. In other words, if you come face to face with these symbols drawn on your door or the wall of your building, contact law enforcement. It is also advisable to take a photo of the symbol before deleting it, and to alert your neighbors to reinforce collective vigilance.