Which areas suffer most burglaries in France and what items are targeted?

The number of burglaries in France is on the rise in several areas, but the location of a property can significantly increase or reduce the overall risk of a break-in.

It comes as burglars seek to use increasingly sophisticated methods to break into homes, including high-tech signal jammers, security camera hacking, and disguising themselves as public sector officials.

The items targeted by burglars are also evolving, as thieves working together look to take heavier and more expensive goods.

Rural and urban departments face risk

While burglaries are common in larger cities and more populated departments due to the number of inhabitants, they can also be high in more rural areas. 

This is because rural and isolated homes can make an attractive target, especially if burglars know a house is empty.

A list of the top 10 departments for burglaries house major cities, including number 1, Bouches-du-Rhône (home of Marseille), 3, Gironde (Bordeaux) and 6, Haute-Garonne (Toulouse). 

Indeed, 1% of towns account for over 40% of all burglaries in France.

However, among the top 10 affected departments were rural departments with a low population density such as Ain and Cher. 

The top ten mainland departments for burglaries (in highest order) in 2024 were:

• Bouches-du-Rhône

• Isère

• Gironde

• Rhône

• Ain

• Haute-Garonne

• Vaucluse

• Cher

• Seine-Saint-Denis

• Indre-et-Loire

Perhaps surprisingly, Paris does not feature, and only one department in the Île-de-France region makes the top 10. 

The 10 departments with the lowest burglary rates (in lowest order) are: 

• Lozère

• Cantal

• Hautes-Alpes

• Haute-Loire

• Doubs

• Haute-Saône

• Manche

• Aveyron

• Jura

• Creuse

A full map is provided by statistics body INSEE. 

Timing of burglaries, hiding items 

The time and dates on which burglaries happen are now more widespread. 

Statistically, Tuesdays and Thursdays were the days most targeted by burglars, but now Fridays and weekends are seeing more activity. 

Late-night burglaries are still common, but an increasing number of crimes take place during the day, when people are out at work and homes are empty. 

A range of items are taken, notably jewellery and high-end fashion products such as Dior, Chanel, and Hermès. These items are usually small (rings, handbags, shoes, etc) which are easy to sell on, and have high resell value.

Tech products including laptops, speakers, video game consoles and headphones are also valuable as they can be taken relatively quickly and easily.

However, even more cumbersome expensive electronics such as vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, and tools are targeted, with multiple burglars working in gangs to take more items from a home.

To protect your most valuable possessions, place them in unusual areas that a burglar looking to enter and leave quickly may not think to search.