A particularly dangerous new method of break-in is currently rampant in Berlin, after burglars struck in Paris and Hauts-de-Seine last summer.
To break into homes, burglars try all kinds of methods. Some of them are rather discreet, others do not go out of their way to break down the door… But a new, rather unique and dangerous technique seems to be gaining momentum in several countries.
Last summer, six individuals of Georgian nationality were arrested in Paris and Hauts-de-Seine after committing more than 80 burglaries during which they used a particularly harmful and very corrosive product. If they were arrested in August 2023 after a break-in attempt the same month, these events had already occurred a year ago, with cases reported between July and August 2022.
Similar facts have previously been recorded in Europe, notably in Germany, Austria and Belgium. This time, it is in Berlin that this method resurfaces. 13 burglaries have already occurred in April, according to the Tagesspiegel, but this burglary scam had already been reported in the German capital in 2022.
In fact, it is by usingnitric acid that the criminals manage to force the locks of the accommodation. A technique that is not without danger. Because when victims discover their door open when returning home, they expose themselves to risks to their health such as respiratory problems linked to nitric acid vapors which are particularly toxic and which could be inhaled, or even eye damage.
It is therefore better to wait for the arrival of the police by staying away from the entrance and above all not touching anything. It is also recommended that police officers not approach a lock containing a corrosive product without appropriate protection, such as wearing gloves or glasses.