Police recommend alarm systems in flats

Aug 17, 2000
Rokas M. Tracevskis

Erikas Kaliacius, Vilnius police chief commissioner, said Vilnius dwellers should not count only on police.

"It is impossible to solve this problem with only police measures," Kaliacius said, stating that thefts from flats are very difficult to investigate. Only some 10 percent of thieves are caught.

There were 937 thefts in the first half of this year, he said. "People became afraid, passive and careless," said Antoni Mikulski, Vilnius' criminal investigation commissioner, urging neighborhood watches and the purchase of more sophisticated locks. He said that the growth trend in theft in the city has been stopped by more police attention to drug addicts who are responsible for the biggest number of flat break-ins.

However, Mikulski said flat dwellers should take care.

"Several percent of thefts are committed just because dwellers left their doors unlocked. I think, commentary about such careless behavior is not necessary," Mikulski said.

At the same time, he said most thefts involve picking the front door lock. Other ways for thieves to get in are balconies and windows, especially those on the first floor.

Mikulski said middle- class intellectuals suffer the most. Wealthy people have money to buy sophisticated locks and safe-style metal doors while the flats of poor people are not attractive to thieves.

Mikulski said also that new liberal laws make trouble for them in their fight against thieves: A thief caught by the police has to be released after 48 hours of detention and is free before the trial. The thief, needing to pay his lawyers, is going to commit more thefts, said Mikulski.

Gytis Lapka, commissioner of the police security department, said the best way to protect against thieves is to install an alarm system that is connected to police headquarters.

In case of a break-in, the alarm signal goes to police who arrive immediately. In Vilnius some 2,700 flats and 1,100 other buildings, offices and shops are already protected by this system. The monthly fee for such system is some 40 litas ($10).

In the first half of this year, 14 flats and 31 other buildings have been broken into by thieves, but these buildings were connected with an alarm system connected to a police station. In these cases, the crimes were stopped and the thieves were caught.

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