“The rates of elucidation are generally low,” he said while adding that Luxembourg is no worse off than its neighbours in this respect. 15.9% of burglaries in the Grand Duchy are solved whereas the rate in our neighbouring countries ranges from 10% to 16%, according to the Minister. But why is it so difficult to catch burglars?
According to Minister Kox, the reasons are manifold. He explained that burglaries are often committed by “repeat offenders” who have little or no connection with their victims. “The burden of proof lies with the police, who must establish the presence of a suspect in the area and at the time of the crime,” he wrote on Monday in response to two MPs from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP).
In the event that a burglar is not caught in the act, there is still the possibility of finding them through traces and evidence recovered from the scene of the crime. “This is often the most promising lead”, said Minister Kox. Luxembourgish authorities therefore systematically involve the technical police when a burglary occurs. The politician acknowledges, however, that the identification of a burglar on the basis of these records “might take a few years”.
In this context, Minister Kox confirms that priority is currently awarded to investigations concerning “ongoing series”. The aim is to catch serial burglars, preferably in the act. He further made the case for “proactive” searches and does not rule out using information “from the general population”.
