Switzerland is generally a safe country but, depending on your canton of residence, you are more or less likely to have your house burglarised.
This is especially relevant now and in the coming months, because it just so happens that the end of the daylight savings time – which this year fell on October 26th – is also the start of the burglary season in Switzerland.
At least, this is according to AXA insurance, whose analysis of the past 10 years shows a clear trend: “Thieves in Switzerland are most active between October and December, peaking at Christmas and New Year’s Eve.”
That’s because “night falls earlier, which seems to play into the hands of burglars,” said Stefan Müller, Head of Property Claims at AXA Switzerland.
However, not all regions of the country are equally at risk.
Geography plays a part
The risk of burglary depends not only on the time of year, but also on the canton.
AXA’s research reveals that, in this respect, people living in the French-speaking part of the country are targeted more often by burglars than their counterparts in the Swiss-German cantons.
For instance, the risk of being targeted by burglars in Geneva has been more than twice the national average of 3.2 burglaries per 1,000 households.
In this canton, there are typically 8.5 burglaries per 1,000 households in one year.
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AXA gives no reason for this phenomenon, but one explanation could be its geographical location right on the border with France.
In fact, numerous retailers in the French-speaking parts of Switzerland have been targeted by thieves from France in recent years, prompting calls from the Swiss side for stricter border checks.
“French-speaking Switzerland is the most affected by organised crime from France,” the federal police (Fedpol) said.
READ ALSO: Calls in Switzerland to boost border controls with France after spike in crime
Coincidentally or not, the cantons of Vaud, Jura, Neuchâtel, Basel-City, and Basel-Country, all of which share a border with France, also have an above-average burglary rate.
As a matter of fact, the problem is so common that several years ago, the small village of Boncourt in canton Jura, which lies a mere kilometre away from France and had been repeatedly hit by cross-border thieves, decided to pay for the installation of home-security systems for all its residents.
This is where in Switzerland your odds of having your home burgled are highest and lowest (number of burglaries per 1,000 households), with dark blue representing the highest burglary rates.
Burglary rates by canton in Switzerland. Graphic produced by Axa
How can you protect your home from thieves?
There are some common-sense steps you can take – whether you live in an ‘at-risk’ area or not.
These measures are outlined here: How you can reduce the chances of being burgled in Switzerland
You can also take out a household liability insurance, which covers losses resulting from burglary up to the insured sum.
Acts of vandalism relating to burglary are also covered.