Sofia Police Reports First Home Burglaries of the Season, Launches Information Campaign.

Sofia police have reported the first cases of home burglaries with the start of the active holiday season and are urging citizens to take measures to protect their homes. On this occasion, the Sofia Directorate of the Interior Ministry is launching an information campaign aimed at preventing this type of crime.

Police remind people that during the summer months many homes remain unoccupied for days or weeks, making them a potential target for burglars. Among the main recommendations are not to publish information about upcoming or ongoing trips on social media, to use high-class locking systems and, where possible, to equip homes with alarms and video surveillance.

According to Inspector Elena, several perpetrators of home burglaries have been detained in recent months. In one case, a criminal group of three people operated with clearly assigned roles — a woman monitored the area and warned about police patrols, while two men broke into homes and stole money, jewellery and other valuables. The group was detained while attempting to leave by car.

The Sofia Directorate of the Interior Ministry said such crimes are most often committed by organised groups with extensive criminal backgrounds. Some of the perpetrators had even met while serving previous sentences.

The chairman of the National Union of Locksmiths, Andrey Sapundzhiev, also urged citizens to pay attention to the protection of their front doors. He noted that a heavy door is an advantage, but if the locking system is vulnerable, the door itself loses much of its protective function.