How to Protect Your Home From Burglary in Bangalore

The numbers

Bengaluru City Police figures reported for 2023 recorded 1,692 house burglaries and 5,909 vehicle thefts in the city. Press reports in early 2025 noted 383 theft cases involving domestic help in 2024, up about 20% on the previous year. Behind each number is a family dealing with loss, insurance and police visits — and most break-ins follow familiar patterns that can be prevented.

How break-ins usually happen

• The house is empty — during trips, festivals or working hours — and it shows.
• Entry through a weak point: a back door, terrace door, ground-floor window or balcony.
• Gates and doors left unlocked for convenience.
• Insiders: people who know the house, its routine and where valuables are kept.
• Vehicles taken from driveways and streets at night.

Layer 1: make entry hard

• Solid main and back doors with good locks; consider a smart lock with an access log.
• Grills on ground-floor and terrace-access windows; locks on the terrace door.
• An automatic gate that stays closed, with a video door phone to see visitors.

Layer 2: make it risky

• Visible cameras at the gate, front door, parking and any hidden entrances.
• Human-detection alerts to your phone at night.
• A burglar alarm with door contacts and an outdoor siren — most intruders leave when it sounds.
• Lighting at the gate, driveway and dark corners on sensors or timers.

Layer 3: protect against insiders

• Police verification for domestic help, drivers and security staff.
• Keep valuables in a safe or bank locker, not cupboards.
• Indoor cameras in the main hall and entrance (never bedrooms or bathrooms), with staff told where they are.
• Change locks and codes when staff leave.

Layer 4: good habits

• Do not post travel plans on social media until you are back.
• Pause deliveries or ask a neighbour to collect parcels while you are away.
• Check your cameras are recording and reachable from your phone before trips.
• Make sure the recorder is hidden or locked, so footage cannot be taken.

Apartments: the weak points

An indoor camera facing the main door, a video door viewer or doorbell, a stronger lock and a door contact alarm address most apartment risks without affecting neighbours.

• Flats on quiet floors, or near staircases, where intruders are not seen.
• Main doors with a single, basic lock.
• Balconies reachable from pipes, adjacent flats or terraces.
• Keys left with security or neighbours without a record.
• Common-area cameras that do not cover individual floors or are not recording.

After a break-in

• Do not enter if you suspect someone is inside; call 112.
• Avoid touching anything until the police have inspected.
• Export and save CCTV footage from before and after the incident.
• Make a list of missing items with photos, bills and serial numbers.
• File an FIR and keep a copy for insurance.
• Change locks and review weak points before the house is left empty again.

Help the police help you

Bengaluru police geotag private cameras that face public places and use them in investigations. A camera that clearly shows your gate and the road outside helps the police — and gives you the best chance of recovering stolen property.

Quick answers