"We practically have one intrusion per month, whether they are attempts or successful break-ins," explains the resident. He prefers to remain anonymous, but specifies that his building is near the Rotondes.
Our colleagues from 5minutes were sent pictures of the doors to the bike room and cellars, forced open in the early hours of 16 December "with a screwdriver, according to the locksmith". The confusing part is that he still does not know if it was broken into: "The door was forced open, but I do not know if they could have stolen things from me, because now the door is blocked and we can no longer open it ".
What remains a concern for him is that his building is brand new: "I live in a modern building. There is no concierge because the building is too small, but there is still an entrance hall." The door remains open throughout the day but closes automatically at 8pm. "Then there is a second door which is always closed", and which only residents can open.
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The Grand Ducal police were asked to comment on the subject: "We confirm that burglaries, which allegedly took place in the night of 15-16 December in the cellars of a residence in Bonnevoie, were reported to us."
The spokesperson continued: "Burglaries in common cellars or shared residential garages are unfortunately common at the present time, as we have seen an increase in this type of incident in the fall."
The resident recalls homeless people entering the building and taking drugs, or smashed car windows right outside the front door. "A residence caretaker told me that this was not the first cellar to be forced open; it happened in another building not far from here," says the man.
"Not long ago I worked until late at night, and around 2 or 3 in the morning I heard some weird noises down in the hall. I didn't want to call the police without being sure, but the problem is you have to go down and see. You never know what you're going to come across!"
Residents have come together to share their concern. "There is a neighbour whose wife no longer feels safe. She no longer comes down to the room to do the laundry at night as she is too scared".
A central question remains: who is responsible for these crimes? The answer, as often, is not that simple. Residents of Bonnevoie, interviewed last April by RTL 5Minutes, had two answers: delinquency from elsewhere, in particular from the station district, but also drug addicts and homeless people who revolve around the social services of Abrigado.
"Considering the price of real estate in Luxembourg, and considering all that we pay to have a cellar, a bicycle room, it's frustrating that we are unable to prevent people from entering. Now we are even being asked to remove our things from the cellar, to limit the risk of being robbed," the resident goes on to say.
Are the private security agents deployed in the capital sufficient? "It's unfortunate, but is it going to have to come to this for things to be quiet? Should everyone be making their own police to stay safe?"
The police's website states several tips in these cases:
