Full document of the cost-benefit

Transcription

Cost-benefit analysis
Table of contents
1
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 3
2
CHOICE ........................................................................................................................................... 4
3
SCOPE ............................................................................................................................................. 4
4
THE DOMESTIC BURGLARY PHENOMENON: FACTS AND FIGURES .............................................. 6
4.1
DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2
TRENDS IN RESIDENTIAL THEFTS ............................................................................................................. 7
4.2.1 Dark Number ...................................................................................................................... 7
4.2.2 Trends in domestic burglary ............................................................................................. 9
4.2.3 Safety policy and safety plans ...................................................................................... 14
4.2.4 Itinerant perpetrator groups .......................................................................................... 17
5
POLICING AND JUDICIAL COMPONENTS .................................................................................. 22
5.1
THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL POLICE .................................................................................................... 22
1. Central level: DGJ/DJB ....................................................................................................... 23
2. Decentralized level ............................................................................................................. 26
5.2
THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY AND THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS .............................................................. 31
5.2.1 Local Public Prosecutors ................................................................................................. 32
5.2.2 Federal Public Prosecutor .............................................................................................. 33
5.2.3 Service for Penal Policy (Dienst voor het strafrechtelijk beleid (DSB)) ...................... 34
5.3
THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL POLICE ...................................................................................................... 35
5.3.1 Investigations ................................................................................................................... 36
5.3.2 Victim support .................................................................................................................. 38
5.3.3 Prevention ........................................................................................................................ 39
5.4
INTERNATIONAL .......................................................................................................................... 47
5.4.1 EU policy cycle and the EMPACT projects ................................................................... 47
5.4.2 The role of Europol ........................................................................................................... 51
5.4.3 The role of Eurojust ........................................................................................................... 52
5.4.4 The role of Cepol (European Police Academy or EPA):............................................. 53
5.4.5 Interpol .............................................................................................................................. 54
6
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPONENT................................................................................................... 56
6.1
FEDERAL LEVEL ................................................................................................................................ 56
6.1.1 FPS Home Affairs .............................................................................................................. 56
6.1.2 FPS Economy .................................................................................................................... 58
6.1.3 FPS Finance ...................................................................................................................... 58
6.2
SUPRA-LOCAL LEVEL ........................................................................................................................ 63
6.2.1 The role of the provinces ................................................................................................ 63
6.2.2 The role of the regional governments........................................................................... 65
6.2.3 The role of the Unions of Cities and Municipalities ...................................................... 66
6.3
LOCAL LEVEL................................................................................................................................... 68
6.3.1 The role of the cities and municipalities ....................................................................... 68
6.3.2 The role of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant .......................................... 70
6.3.3 Neighbourhood Information Networks ......................................................................... 71
1
6.4
INTERNATIONAL LEVEL ...................................................................................................................... 77
6.4.1 The role of the European Crime Prevention Network ................................................. 77
7
PRIVATE PARTNERS ....................................................................................................................... 79
7.1
INSURANCE SECTOR ......................................................................................................................... 79
7.1.1 Assuralia ............................................................................................................................ 79
7.1.2 National Organization for theft- and fire-fighting ........................................................ 80
7.2
ARCHITECTS .................................................................................................................................... 81
7.3
ACADEMIC WORLD ......................................................................................................................... 83
7.4
CITIZENS ......................................................................................................................................... 84
7.5
PUBLIC-PRIVATE COLLABORATIONS ................................................................................................... 85
8
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................. 87
2
1
Introduction
One of the methodologies of the European project is the use of a cost-benefit analysis to
evaluate the Belgian policy regarding the handling of domestic burglaries.
A cost-benefit analysis is an analysis of the costs and benefits to society of projects and
programmes. In the cost-benefit analysis, the social value of the effect of a measure is
assigned a monetary value.
It is also a useful policy instrument to verify whether certain projects are effective and efficient
and to identify which projects are preferable.
Cost-benefit analyses are usually performed in advance, yet they can also be used for post
evaluations of policies that have already been adopted.
A study of the literature shows that cost-benefit analyses of the approaches to crime are
mainly used in Great Britain1 and the United States (Washington)2. In The Netherlands, social
cost-benefit analyses are utilized in the social sector in particular3.
A cost-benefit analysis consists of 3 steps:
a) The assessment of the effectiveness of an intervention
b) The estimation of the costs of the intervention
c) The determination of the social value of the effects of the intervention
In the first step, information is collected about the coherence between the (policy) objective
and the factors which influence that objective. In the second step, an estimate is made of
the resources needed for the intervention. However, in practice, the third step, the estimation
of the social value of the positive and the negative effects of an intervention, is difficult to
determine empirically.
In the framework of the European project, this brought with it a number of challenges.
First of all, scientists have been performing research for many years now into the costs of
crime, and not all of its effects can be directly measured and converted to a monetary
value. This is also true of this research project, because in the case of domestic burglaries, the
perpetrators force themselves into the private sphere and in doing so, the citizens are
affected in their most intimate and private areas. The thought and the feeling that strangers
have been in their homes, have looked through their possessions and have taken their
BRAND, S., and DHIRI, S., “Crime reduction Programme. Analysis of costs and benefits:
guidance for evaluators” in: Research, development and statistics directorate, Home
Office, London, 1999.
2
AOS, S., PHIPPS, P., BAMOSKI, R., and LIEB, R., The comparative costs and benefits of
programs to reduce crime, Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2001
3
SEO, Kosten-batenanalyses voor BZK, Amsterdam, 2010
1
3
valuables, which sometimes even have emotional value, means that the social cost cannot
be expressed in material damages alone. The psychological consequences and the impact
on the victim's sense of safety are factors which cannot be ignored.
Furthermore, it appears that the measures that have been taken by all stakeholders thus far
seldom utilize a baseline measurement and/or a control group. As a result, an impact
assessment can only be used to search for a numerical connection between a measure and
one or more objectives. Moreover, very few impact assessments are performed in Belgium.
Projects or campaigns are initiated, but no study is made of their effects. As a result, it is
extremely difficult to list the benefits of a project or of an institution. In an ideal situation, a
baseline measurement would first be made (for example, a measurement of the extent of the
citizens' feelings of being unsafe, the number of actual domestic burglaries or attempts
thereof …) before the launch of a specific campaign. Most of the benefits named however
are the benefits that one hopes to obtain. It is absolutely not certain whether these are
actually observed in practice.
2
Choice
The European project consists of a series of methodological steps for the purpose of arriving
at an action plan related to burglary prevention policy. Of course, it is important to know the
various actors and actions of this prevention policy. In addition to that, the Advisory Board
has opted to not undertake a scientific cost-benefit analysis. However, it is important to know
‘who's doing what’. Therefore this cost-benefit analysis focuses on mapping out all of the
actors involved in the handling of domestic burglaries, the existing policy instruments, the
initiatives already taken and the available numerical data.
3
Scope
Since 2000, overarching safety plans have been elaborated by the Belgian Federal
Government. These safety plans are based on an integral and integrated collaboration
between all of the actors involved. In the Framework Policy Document on Integral Safety 4
from 2004, the Federal Government developed a more comprehensive vision on safety policy
so that the actors involved knew the policy priorities which they had to take into account
when drawing up their own strategic and operational plans.
The goal of this European project is to map out, on the basis of a process and impact
evaluation, the measures taken by all of the partners in the safety chain as well as the
initiatives taken by the private sector and their returns.
4
See Chapter 4 for more information.
4
In doing so, the focus will lie on known best-practices from the field and on the literature, with
the goal of developing a methodology for improved utilization of the existing intelligence and
a community-oriented approach to domestic burglary which can provide an important
supplement to the control of domestic burglary.
The link to terrain visits will be regularly made throughout the cost-benefit analysis. The main
reason for doing this is because the terrain visits demonstrate how the various services and
institutions do their work in practice and/or the purposes for which they can be used. The
explanation of the terrain visits in question can be found in the reports and in the terrain visit
analyses.
5
4
The domestic burglary phenomenon: Facts and figures
In order to be able to properly contextualize the various partners and agencies within
domestic burglary prevention policy, it is essential to first consider the phenomenon itself. In
the chapter that follows, the definition of the phenomenon will be considered first. Thereafter,
several trends related to domestic burglary will be enumerated. We will then examine several
policy instruments, such as zonal safety plans. Finally, information is provided about itinerant
perpetrator groups, since this is one of the aspects of domestic burglary.
4.1 Definitions
‘Domestic burglary’ concerns a criminal figure who in and of itself is not included in the penal
code but who instead is a compilation of elements which are described in the penal code.
The National General Database (Algemene Nationale Gegevensbank (ANG)) utilizes the
following definitions. We can divide the domestic burglaries into two types based on their
locations:

Break-ins in residences (in the strictest sense)
Theft in a residence (house, apartment, garage,…) with breaking and entering,
trespassing or false keys, with or without the use of force

Break-ins in residences (in the broader sense)
Includes all offences classified under ‘Break-ins in residences (in the strictest sense)’
plus break-ins in tents, garden sheds, greenhouses,…
In addition to these definitions, it is also important to clarify the concept ‘theft’. The Belgian
penal code describes theft as the fraudulent removal of an object that does not belong to
the perpetrator5. If we want to delineate the concept of ‘domestic burglary’, the definition
from the penal code is the appropriate one, given that it forms the basis for the
nomenclature of the determination and execution of criminal sentencing 6. Domestic burglary
concerns a criminal figure who in and of itself is not included in the penal code but who
instead is a compilation of elements which are described in the penal code. This relates to
“theft in a residence” with aggravating circumstances 7. As already stated above, the ‘theft’
covers the fraudulent removal of an object that does not belong to the perpetrator. The
Art. 461 of the penal code
PONSAERS, P., VERWEE, I., and
diefstalpraktijk & preventiebeleid,
2007, p.19
7
PONSAERS, P., VERWEE, I., and
diefstalpraktijk & preventiebeleid,
2007, p.19
5
6
ENHUS, E., Onderzoeksrapport; Woninginbraken:
In opdracht van de FOD Binnenlandse Zaken, januari
ENHUS, E., Onderzoeksrapport; Woninginbraken:
In opdracht van de FOD Binnenlandse Zaken, januari
6
aggravating circumstances refer to forcing one's way into a residence by breaking and
entering, trespassing or using false keys8.
Another type of theft which can result in access to the residence is theft with deception. The
goal of this is to gain access to the residence and to then take valuable objects. There is no
legal definition of theft with deception either. The definition that follows only applies to
criminal offences that are perpetrated in a residence and does not include all possible
means of deception for committing other criminal offences. Other types of deception are, for
example, distracting someone to pick his or her pockets or to steal a handbag from a
stationary car.
‘Theft with deception is a criminal offence in which a person unlawfully assumes a
professional identity, poses as someone else or uses deception to enter a residence. Once in
the residence, he or she commits theft or pilfers from the resident a sum of money that is not
proportional to the true value of a good or service.’
All of this makes clear that ‘theft in a residence’ is a term that covers a variety of charges. In
order to label this a criminal offence, it must be clearly defined in advance. However, none
of these considerations should be an obstacle to the policy. Preventive measures are largely
the same in the cases of domestic burglaries in the strict sense of the word and domestic
burglaries in the broader sense.
4.2 Trends in residential thefts
Now that it is clear what residential theft is, the trends related to this phenomenon in recent
years must also be investigated. In doing this, we will first look at the number of offences and
thereafter at more detailed information about these offences. The numerical data from the
Police are the most important source. However it is also important to know that a significant
number of offences are not reported to the Police. The dark number must always be kept in
mind.
4.2.1 Dark Number
The figures based on the official registrations provide only a limited picture of the reality of
the situation. The fact is that many crimes are not reported to the Police. This blind spot in the
knowledge related to crime is called the dark number. Taking into account all possible crimes
committed, one can assume, based on a rough estimate, that only 1 in 4 crimes is reported
PAUWELS, L., De ene buurt is de andere niet. Exploratie van mogelijkheden tot
contextualisering van geregistreerde criminaliteit op buurtniveau. Brussel: VUBPress,
2004, p. 50
8
7
to the Police. From this number of criminal offences, only one in 3 is solved by the Police. An
even smaller number of crimes results in an actual consequence for the perpetrators 9. This is
shown in the figure below. This low reporting figure also has an effect on the cost-benefit
analysis. Since the number of criminal offences and victims is never known precisely, it is
extremely difficult to enumerate the actual costs and benefits.
Figure 1: Dark Number
Source: VAN SOOMEREN, P., and WEVER, J., Review of Costs and Benefits Analysis in Crime
Prevention, Amsterdam, 2005, p. 27
Domestic burglary is a ‘high-impact crime’, which means that people are more inclined to
report a domestic burglary. Van Daele states that in Belgium 90% of the domestic burglaries
are reported.10For attempted burglaries, the figure is lower. The reason for this is that nothing is
stolen, and therefore people are less inclined to report these offences. Sometimes the victim
is not even aware of the attempt to break in. It can be assumed that approximately 40% of
the attempted burglaries are reported 11. In order to accurately ascertain this figure, a victim
VAN SOOMEREN, P., and WEVER, J., Review of Costs and Benefits Analysis in Crime
Prevention, Amsterdam, 2005, p. 27
10
VAN DAELE, S., “Diefstal in Woningen: inleidende situering van het fenomeen” in:
CHRISTIAENSEN, S., DORMAELS, A., and VAN DAELE, S., (eds.), Diefstal in woningen;
Bijdragen voor een geïntegreerde beheersing vanuit beleid, praktijk en wetenschap,
Antwerpen: Maklu, 2012, p. 22
11
9
8
survey must be taken on a regular basis. In this survey, a large number of citizens are
questioned about their victimization as a result of various criminal offences.
These figures clearly show that care must be taken when processing police-related statistics.
Even though one can assert that this is not such a significant problem with regard to domestic
burglaries in Belgium, since the reporting percentage is 90%.
4.2.2 Trends in domestic burglary
In the following paragraphs, the trends related to domestic burglaries in Belgium in recent
years will be elucidated. As mentioned above, policing statistics, of which those from the
Federal Police are the most important, will be used to do this.
The crime statistics originating from the Police and related to domestic burglaries show an
increasing trend in recent years. In the year 2000, there was a high number of domestic
burglaries, but by 2005, this number had declined by 30%. Nevertheless, starting from 2005, a
clear increasing trend is evident with an unfortunate peak in 2012 of 75,607 domestic
burglaries in Belgium. This trend is clearly reflected in the figures below.
Figure 2: Domestic burglaries in Belgium (strictly defined)
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
2000
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Source: FEDERALE POLITIE “Politiële criminaliteitsstatistieken, http://www.polfedfedpol.be/crim/crim_statistieken/app_crimestat/app_crimestat_dashboard_crimfig_misdrijve
n_nl.php, 2000-2013
9
Figure 3: Domestic burglaries in Belgium (more broadly defined)
90000
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
2000
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Source: FEDERALE POLITIE “Politiële criminaliteitsstatistieken, http://www.polfedfedpol.be/crim/crim_statistieken/app_crimestat/app_crimestat_dashboard_crimfig_misdrijven_nl.php, 2000-2013
The figures below show that the increasing trend applies to all parts of the country. There is no
significant difference between the Regions, therefore the increase is felt equally everywhere.
Figure 5 shows the geographical distribution throughout the country. It is clear that most of
the burglaries occur in the urbanized areas such as Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Liège …
Figure 4: Domestic burglaries in the Regions of Belgium (strictly defined)
40000
35000
30000
Domestic Burglaries in Brussels
region
25000
20000
Domestic Burglaries in the
Flamish region
15000
Domestic burglaries in the
Wallonian region
10000
5000
0
2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Source: FEDERALE POLITIE “Politiële criminaliteitsstatistieken, http://www.polfedfedpol.be/crim/crim_statistieken/app_crimestat/app_crimestat_dashboard_crimfig_misdrijven_nl.php, 2000-2013
10
Figure 5: Distribution of domestic burglaries in Belgium (strictly defined)
n_nl.php, 2000-2013
When one considers the top-10 objects stolen in domestic burglaries, no changes are
observed. The most important items remain jewellery, watches and money. It is noteworthy
that the theft of computers and their accessories is now on the rise; between 2008 and 2013,
the number of thefts of these items rose by more than 40%. When burglars steal, what they
primarily take into account are saleability and the weight of the items. The acronym CRAVED
summarizes the properties or conditions that make goods attractive loot for thieves. CRAVED
stands for: Concealable – easy to hide; Removable – easy to dislodge; Available – at hand;
Valuable – monetary value; Enjoyable – enjoyable to use and Disposable – easy to sell12.
FEDERALE POLITIE, Jaarrapport federale politie, http://www.polfedfedpol.be/crim/crim_stat_nl.php, 2011, p. 27-28
12
11
Figure 6: Top-10 objects stolen in domestic burglaries (strictly defined)
25000
20000
15000
2008
10000
2009
2010
5000
0
2011
2012
2013
n_nl.php, 2000-2013
In addition, it is also important to know when most domestic burglaries occur. The two figures
shown below clarify a few things. Most burglaries still occur in the darker months of November
and December, even though many people go on holiday during the summer months and
therefore many residences are left behind unoccupied and unsurveilled. It is possible that the
intensified patrols, which many Police Zones offer their residents during their vacations
(vacation surveillance can be requested, more information related to this on p. 39),
contributes to this effect13. The reasons that burglaries occur more often in the winter months
are the darkness, the relatively few people on the street and the fact that the residents'
presence is clearly visible from the outside (due to indoor lighting, for example 14. Furthermore,
we see that most domestic burglaries occur on Friday and Saturday evenings. In addition, we
also see that Thursday afternoon and Tuesday and Thursday mornings are also popular with
the burglars. But, generally speaking, many homes are also broken into during the day and
on weekdays between 10:00 and 17:00. This is because most people are at work at those
FEDERALE POLITIE, Jaarrapport federale politie, http://www.polfedfedpol.be/crim/crim_stat_nl.php, 2011, p. 25
14
13
12
times, and the burglars therefore have free reign. The idea that domestic burglaries occur
mostly at night appears to be outdated.
Figure 7: Domestic burglaries per month in 2013 (strictly defined)
Domestic burglaries per month in 2013
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
n_nl.php, 2013
Figure 8: Proportional time distribution of the number of domestic burglaries (strictly defined)
on the national level for the reference year 2011
Source
FEDERALE
POLITIE,
Jaarrapport
federale
politie,
http://www.polfed-
fedpol.be/crim/crim_stat_nl.php, 2011, p. 26
13
The average household consists of 2.36 persons 15. If we assume that the number of persons in
a household is not linked to the number of domestic burglaries, then we can state that in 2012
more than 178,000 people were the victims of a domestic burglary. In light of these numbers,
it is clear that we are in need of a new approach in the fight against theft in residences. This
new approach must be global in nature, one that unites all of the partners involved, from all
administrative levels as well as private partners. In the cost-benefit analysis that follows, the
various parties involved will be considered and a discussion of what their tasks are within the
domestic burglary phenomenon will be addressed. In addition to that, an action plan will be
formulated for the purpose of attempting to halt the increasing trend.
4.2.3 Safety policy and safety plans
Integral and integrated safety policy
Theft in residences is an administrative, a policing and a judicial matter. There is a substantial
diversity of actors involved in it, ranging from Prevention Officers, Domestic Burglary
Prevention Consultants and Police Detectives all the way to the magistrates who lead the
investigations and who pass judgements related to punishments and/or other measures. In
addition, there is also a multitude of private partners, not least of which can an assessment
be made of how the citizen can participate.
In order to control theft in residences in a targeted manner, interaction is needed between
policy, practice and scientific knowledge and between the various actors and domains, and
balanced and simultaneous investments must be made proactively, preventively and
reactively. In order to establish and implement policies related to theft in residences as
efficiently as possible, attention must be paid to the coherence of the various administrative
levels, from the federal to the local. The various safety plans are important instruments in
achieving this coherence and complementarity. Since specific territorial phenomena and
needs must be taken into account and space must be provided for innovative projects,
carefully adapting the policy plans to one another is a significant challenge. In today's
Belgium, with its diversity of administrative levels, attaining the intended coherence is far from
simple16.
16
CHRISTIAENSEN, S., and DORMAELS, A., “De neuzen in dezelfde, juiste richting. De
beheersing van diefstal in woningen vanuit integraal en geïntegreerd perspectief.” In:
Antwerpen: Maklu, 2012, p. 308-309
15
14
Framework Policy Document on Integral Safety
The Framework Policy Document on ‘Integral Safety’ was approved at the Special Council of
Ministers on 30-31 March 2004 and was elaborated by the Ministers for Home Affairs and for
Justice, with a directing role for the Service for Penal Policy in cooperation with the
Directorate-General for Safety and Prevention.
The Framework Policy Document provides a framework for the safety policy of the federal
government and also provides orientation for the National Safety Plan which, in its turn, forms
the framework for the zonal safety plans. With regard to domestic burglaries, property crimes
perpetrated by itinerant groups of perpetrators have been given priority in organized crime. 17
National safety plan
As a result of the Integrated Police Act (Wet op de Geïntegreerde Politie (WGP)), the persons
responsible for policy at the different levels are obligated to set down their policing policy in
the form of plans. The products of this are the National Safety Plan (Nationaal Veiligheidsplan
(NVP)) and the Zonal Safety Plans (Zonale Veiligheidsplannen (ZVP)). The NVP consists of 2
parts. In the first part, the Ministers of Home Affairs and Justice coordinate the general
policing policy for the integrated Police. By doing so, they guarantee a global and integrated
approach to the (objective and subjective) lack of security and thereby also ensure the
coherence of the actions taken by the integrated Police. In conformity with Article 92 of the
WGP, the second part of the NVP describes the contribution of the Federal Police to a safe
society with an adequate quality of life. This relates to the assignments and the priority
objectives of the Federal Police as determined by the Ministers of Home Affairs and Justice 18.
As mentioned above, the Ministers of Home Affairs and Justice set out the priority safety
problems in the NVP. However, this does not mean that the Federal Police will concentrate
exclusively on these. It is a matter of course that the Federal Police continues to fulfil its other
normal tasks: its tasks related to the maintenance of law and order and to the handling of
crime, with priority attention paid to phenomena which have alarmed the citizens due to
their societal, economic and political damage.19
DEVROE, E., MATTHIJS, S., and DE KEULENAER, S., De procureurs des Konings aan het
woord. Evaluatie-onderzoek zonale veiligheidsplannen, 2005, Antwerpen, Maklu, p. 65-66
18
MINISTER VAN BINNENLANDSE ZAKEN EN MINISTER VAN JUSTITIE, Nationaal
Veiligheidsplan 2012-2015, p.2
19
woord. Evaluatie-onderzoek zonale veiligheidsplannen, 2005, Antwerpen, Maklu, p. 68
17
15
Zonal Safety Plans
The Zonal Safety Plans (ZVP) are based on the NVP. In addition to a description of the core
tasks of the Local Police, these ZVP also describe the contribution of the Local Police in the
municipally integrated and in the federally integrated safety policy. In other words, the ZVP
will investigate the priority goals and phenomena from the NVP and verify to what extent
these priorities fulfil the local needs and problems of the relevant zone. The priorities of the
Police are based on the NVP but also on other local safety apparatuses as well as on the
expectations and needs of the interested parties.
The Zonal Safety Boards20 are therefore not obligated to select the priority phenomena stated
in the ZVP, because each Police Zone has specific local characteristics, and therefore it is
very possible that a Police Zone has specific priorities. In any case, however, a minimum
amount of coherence between the federal and the local priorities must be present. And so it
is that 175 of the 193 Police Zones have included the priority phenomenon domestic burglary
in their ZVP. For the remainder, this phenomenon was not present in the Police Zone to a
sufficient degree to be included in the Zonal Safety Plan.
Strategic Safety and Prevention Plans
A Strategic Safety and Prevention Plan (SVPP) is a subsidy agreement concluded between
the Minister of Home Affairs and the beneficiary municipality for the purpose of developing a
local integral safety policy. In order to be eligible for an SVPP, the conditions for allocation
stated in the Royal Decree of 7 November 2013 must be met. To determine the priorities of
the SVPP, the municipalities must make a local safety diagnosis. This is an analysis rendered in
terms of safety with regard to a situation or a condition – for a well-defined period and
territory – with the goal of better mapping out the problems and challenges, of identifying the
risk factors on the local level and of helping to determine the actions which can lead to the
expected results, taking into account the available resources. 21
The SVPP consists of general, strategic and operational objectives and is oriented towards the
results to be obtained at the end of the period during which the agreement is valid. A
financial subsidy is allocated to finance the costs that result from the implementation of the
agreement (personnel costs, operational costs and investments).
The Zonal Safety Board consists of the Mayor, the Public Prosecutor, the Police Chief
and the DirCo.
21
Koninklijk Besluit van 7 november 2013 betreffende de strategische veiligheids- en
preventieplannen en van de dispositieven Gemeenschapswachten, BS 29 november
2013, 94198
20
16
Table 1: The number of municipalities with the burglary phenomenon in their SVPP
burglaries in
SVPP
Amount of
SVPP
Rate
Flanders
Wallonia
38
22
46
48
82,61%
45,83%
Brussels-capital
region
Belgium
12
72
15
109
80,00%
66,06%
The current cycle of the SVPP 2017-2017 consists of 109 beneficiary municipalities: 46 Flemish,
48 Walloon and 15 municipalities from the Brussels Capital Region. Since the municipalities
themselves decide which priorities they include in these plans, the domestic burglary
phenomenon is not included as a priority in every SVPP. In 72 of the SVPPs, or in two of every
three SVPPs, however, it is included. If we divide this up according to Region, we note that 38
Flemish, 22 Walloon and 12 Brussels Capital Region municipalities include domestic burglary
as a priority phenomenon in their SVPPs.
National policing-related safety policy
The National Policing-related Safety Policy (NPVB) provides an overview and a description of
the most important safety problems that occur in Belgium and which belong to the domain
of responsibility of the Police Authorities and Departments. This representation is the result of a
general scanning or a type of diagnosis of these safety problems in which they are described
on the basis of various distinguishing features which each represents a certain aspect of the
seriousness or the problematic character of the problem itself. These data are reported at the
national level.22
The goal of determining the policing-related safety problems and their seriousness is to help
the responsible Police Authorities substantiate their choice of priorities for the National Safety
Plan. In addition, the NPVB is also meant to be used by the Police Units to elaborate and
initiate their action plans, measures and capacity in a targeted manner.
4.2.4 Itinerant perpetrator groups
The itinerant perpetrator groups entered the picture at the end of the 1990s and the
beginning of the 2000s when it was found that Eastern and Central European gangs were
responsible, to a rapidly increasing degree, for systematic burglaries in homes, businesses and
companies, for ram raids and certain types of vehicle theft. Since the European project pays
woord. Evaluatie-onderzoek zonale veiligheidsplannen, 2005, Antwerpen, Maklu, p. 39
22
17
special attention to itinerant groups of perpetrators, we will first address the general
characteristics of such groups.
Definition
The multi-crime aspect and the opportunism of the itinerant perpetrator groups means that
any definition of such groups must be used in a flexible manner with regard to the property
crime phenomena to be monitored. The itinerant perpetrators make their appearance in
very diverse types of property crime, and they take serious advantage of evolving trends and
new opportunities. This is the reason that several criminal activity domains are included in the
definition:
An itinerant perpetrator group is a union of criminals
Who commit systematic domestic burglaries or burglaries in companies and businesses,
including ram raids, cargo theft, metals theft or the theft of equipment or vehicles from
building sites,
Who originate primarily from the former Eastern Bloc countries 23 or who make up a sedentary
perpetrator group24 in Belgium and
Who operate from or are directed from foreign countries or from the large conurbations in
Belgium,
Who commit a significant number of offences in a large part of the territory and
Who may utilize minors.
This definition, however, does not exclude the fact that an itinerant perpetrator group may
alternatively be involved in other offences such as armed robbery, car and home jackings,
theft of valuable documents, vehicle fraud, theft with deception, organized petty theft,
organized shoplifting and skimming.25
The former Eastern Bloc countries are not enumerated in the definition, but the Central
Directorate “Crime against goods” (DGJ/DJB) takes the following countries into account
when interpreting the definition: the former Soviet Union – now 15 independent states:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Moldavia, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and
Uzbekistan, the countries of Ex-Yugoslavia: Republic of Macedonia, Croatia, BosniaHerzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Kosovo and finally, the countries Albania,
Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
24
The sedentary perpetrator groups are primarily composed of nomads from ExYugoslavia, Romania, France and Belgium who reside in the large conurbations and/or in
the border regions of our neighbouring countries. These countries are the most
commonly occurring lands of origin of the sedentary groups that are active in our
country.
25
FEDERALE POLITIE, De aanpak van rondtrekkende dadergroepen vernieuwde
uitdagingen, Brussel, 2010, p.3
23
18
Who are they and what do they do?
After formulating the definition, it is also important to delve more deeply into what, in fact,
these groups do. The activity level of itinerant perpetrators of domestic burglaries is high.
Although the itinerant gangs act in organized and planned ways, the type of organization
depends on the type of offence. In this way almost all domestic burglaries are opportunistic
criminal offences. (The decision to steal has already been taken, but the target is selected at
the location.) We will now first take a look at the types of perpetrators and then at their
mobility. After that, the utilization of minors will be discussed, and finally we will focus on the
criminal assets and their storage and handling.
The presence of the Eastern European itinerant perpetrators is the consequence of a
combination of factors, the most important of which are the economic motives. There are
two types of perpetrators:
Perpetrators who have criminal intentions at the moment they enter our country. They come
here with the intention of committing property crimes. These perpetrators usually remain in our
country for short periods of time, ranging from several days up to several months. Thereafter,
they return to their home countries, or they travel on to other (European) countries to
continue their criminal activities there. In these cases, supervision from the land of origin
occurs.
Other perpetrators come here primarily to build (better) lives for themselves. They remain
here, either legally or illegally. For some of them, it quickly becomes clear that it is not easy to
acquire a better life in an honest manner. When these persons, through their social contacts,
see an opportunity to acquire a great deal of money quickly, the step to crime is often
quickly taken.26
The itinerants from the former Eastern Bloc countries operate in small groups. As a rule, the
offences are committed by groups of two to five persons. However, these groups are part of
a broader criminal network. If they are only staying in Western Europe for a short time, then
this network is based in the land of origin. Perpetrators who stay in Western Europe for a
longer time build up their networks here.27
In recent years, sedentary perpetrators have more and more often become a part of the
picture. Included in the classification sedentary perpetrators are the nomads. In fact, this is a
uitdagingen, Brussel, 2010, p.10
27
DIENST VOOR HET STRAFRECHTELIJK BELEID, Jaarverslag 2010: georganiseerde
criminaliteit in België 2007-2009, Brussel, 2010, p. 86
26
19
people without a real homeland yet one that often has Belgian nationality, is requesting
asylum or is staying here illegally. In spite of the fact that they have become sedentary, this is
no way implies that they have definitively stopped being migrants. The criminal segment of
this population group consists of groups of perpetrators who have made a lifestyle of crime.
They are usually highly organized, operate on a national and international scale and actively
utilize minors and women for their criminal activities. Often, they operate under more
permanent structures that are based on far-reaching family connections. This means that the
members of these groups are mainly related to one another. However, this does not exclude
non-relations being included in a group.
The most striking aspect of itinerant perpetrator groups is their mobility. The itinerant
perpetrator groups usually stay in the large conurbations, such as Brussels, Liège, Antwerp
and Charleroi. Here, a greater degree of anonymity predominates, which is to the
advantage of the perpetrators. These areas are then called the “home districts”. As oppose
to local perpetrators, they usually do not commit offences in the immediate vicinity of their
residences but travel great distances to do so. The action radius of the perpetrator groups
often includes various districts (offence districts). Their mobility is crucial in this. The amount
and size of the goods they steal varies depending on their modes of transport. Their mobility
implies that border areas are exceptionally interesting for this type of perpetrator, since these
areas offer them increased freedom of movement and make it difficult for them to be
caught. Finally, their mobility is also reflected in the fact that a great deal of the perpetrators
only remain in our country for a short time. After a while, the perpetrators move to
neighbouring countries or go back to their countries of origin. 28
Another striking characteristic in the definition is the strong presence of under-age
perpetrators in offences that involve itinerant perpetrators. A minor is involved in at least one
of three domestic burglaries. In sedentary groups, training begins as early as 5 years of age.
The children begin their criminal careers from the age of 8 years. The minors are often caught
in the act, yet they are usually released quickly and then immediately repeat the offence.
Interrogations, frisking and confrontation produce little results with these under-age
perpetrators. There is strong feeling of impunity.29
Itinerant perpetrator groups focus most on objects that are easy to transport, since they are
usually on foot. In addition to that, an object with a large sales market is also very popular.
criminaliteit in België 2007-2009, Brussel, 2010, p. 85-86
29
uitdagingen, Brussel, 2010, p.13-14
28
20
The most popular goods are therefore jewellery and watches but also multimedia items,
laptops, mobiles, iPhones, GPS devices, TVs and small electronics… Quick profitability is very
important, so the thieves sell the stolen goods very quickly. The sale of the criminal assets
takes place either in Belgium or abroad or a part of it is used by the burglars to provide for
their own sustenance. If the perpetrators are only in Belgium for a short time, then they sell the
goods in their home countries since they do not yet have networks here. Formal social
relationships play an important role for the perpetrators who remain in Belgium for a longer
period of time.30
It is important to adapt prevention policies on the basis of the special characteristics of
itinerant perpetrator groups. In the cost-benefit analysis that follows, reference will regularly
be made to itinerant perpetrator groups. It is therefore important to keep in mind their various
characteristics. Their mobile character, in particular, is a challenge for the administration and
for the Police.
criminaliteit in België 2007-2009, Brussel, 2010, p. 87
30
21
5
Policing and judicial components
5.1 The role of the Federal Police
The Federal Police contribute to the general safety and quality of life in the community. They
provide specialized support to the Local Police and guarantee supra-local assignments. In
the areas of judicial and administrative policing, they also specialize in tasks which require a
great deal of expertise.
The Federal Police consists of both operational (e.g., Judicial Police, Traffic Police, Railway
Police, Mounted Police, air support and canine support) and administrative (e.g., human
resources and material resources) services.
With regard to the Judicial Police, the Federal Police attends to the high-priority phenomena
of organized and serious crime, such as crimes against persons (e.g., human trafficking and
smuggling, drugs etc.), crimes against goods (e.g., armed and organized theft and car and
home jacking) and economic and financial delinquency (e.g., money laundering), among
others. With regard to domestic burglary, the focus of the Federal Police lies with itinerant
perpetrator groups. They monitor the phenomenon of domestic burglary and keep track of its
prevalence in the form of statistics. They analyse these statistics and then produce systematic
reports of this for submission to the governments and to the population.
When it comes to operational support, the Federal Police furnishes support to the
governmental administrations and to the Local Police by means, for example, of specialized
equipment and personnel (helicopters, dogs, laboratories, fingerprint analyses etc.) for the
maintenance of law and order. This is clearly addressed in the terrain visits of the Police Zone
Hekla during the discussion of the different multi-zonal campaigns.
The task of the Federal Judicial Police is described as follows: “The increasingly more efficient
control of the scale and the impact of organized crime, of socially disruptive crime, of supralocal crime and of crime, which due to its complexity, requires specialized tracking and
investigations.”31. The Federal Police is therefore primarily combating serious and organized
crime. This is not limited to its carrying out investigations but also includes prevention,
legislation, the care of victims etc.
FEDERALE POLITIE, Missie, visie, waarden en identiteit van de federale gerechtelijke
politie, http://www.polfed-fedpol.be/org/org_dgj_mission_nl.php, 2014
31
22
The Federal Judicial Police are under the authority of their General Director, who is supported
by a Policy Support Department in charge of dealing with strategic planning and follow-up
issues, the management of resources and staff, the management of judicial information and
international cooperation. The Directorate is subdivided into 13 decentralized districts and 6
central directorates. Within this analysis, the only focus at the central level will be on the
Central Directorates DGJ/DJB (Directorate for the combating of crime against goods), since
this is the Directorate responsible for handling domestic burglaries.
The planning of the activities of the Federal Judicial Police is based on the National Safety
Plan. The central level translates the priorities included in this plan by setting up and
implementing programmes32. At the level of the districts, the priorities are tackled via projects.
1. Central level: DGJ/DJB (Directie van de bestrijding van de criminaliteit tegen
goederen– La direction de la lutte contre la criminalité contre les biens)
The Directorate consists of five services33, a Tactical Intelligence Office (TIO) and a supporting
secretary. The services are each authorized for a well-defined criminal phenomenon. The
National Safety Plan 2012-2015 established that four phenomena require a priority approach:
armed robberies, burglaries into residences and other buildings (including those by itinerant
perpetrator groups), illegal firearm fraud and fraud related to waste management
(environment). The most important tasks of the DJB are analysis, coordination and support,
whereby expertise is the leitmotif of all of these activities.
The ‘organized robbery and ART’ service is responsible for monitoring the phenomenon of
burglary in residences and other buildings. A high-priority approach requires an integral and
an integrated approach. In order to achieve this, each service, in consultation with the
authorized governments and partners, formulates a programme dossier in which the strategic
and operational objectives to be achieved are established. For phenomena such as
domestic burglaries, a thorough analysis of the problems is carried out so that the specific
partial aspects of the phenomena can also then be handled in a project-oriented manner.
To do this, the service performs the following core activities:
A plan for an integral and integrated judicial and administrative approach and/or
monitoring of a specific safety phenomenon (written out in a programme dossier) by the
Police Departments (cf Art. 95 WGP)
33
Organized robbery & ART, armed robbery, hormones & doping, environment and
weapons.
32
23

The provision of a qualitative (criminal processes) and a quantitative (e.g., theft
barometer) interpretation;

The advancement of a combination of an administrative and a judicial approach by
means of detecting and exchanging good practices and the fulfilling of a signalling
function with respect to legislative and regulatory institutions;

The monitoring of perpetrators and perpetrator groups by means of increasing
awareness of high-quality findings with a view to correct identity determinations and
the promotion of international collaborations and information exchange;

The contribution to prevention and follow-up by means of setting up networks of
representatives of (potential) victims and by means of increasing awareness with
regard to the taking of preventive measures.
Specially, the Tactical Intelligence Office (TIO) produces a list of all open dossiers related to
itinerant perpetrators in Belgium once every 6 weeks. Based on this list, the large districts
(Liège, Antwerp, Brussels and Charleroi) meet, since most of the itinerants use these districts as
places of residence, places to shelter, logistical locations ... Representatives of these districts,
together with the Local and the Federal Public Prosecutors, discuss how to continue the work
in the various dossiers.
The graph below shows the dossiers related to itinerant perpetrator groups that were started
in the year in question and were presented to the DJB. The investigations themselves were
carried out by the Federal Judicial Police (FGP) at the district level. The DJB itself does not
perform investigations but does provide support in a number of dossiers by providing supralocal coordination and/or by facilitating the exchange of information (national and
international).
24
Figure 9: Itinerant perpetrator groups
800
705
700
646
657
637
600
number of files "itinerant
offender groups" per year
500
400
300
248
262
304
256
200
number of files "itinerant
offender groups active in
domestic burglaries" per year
100
0
2010
2011
2012
2013
Source: FEDERAL POLICE, DJB/DGJ/TIO (figures obtained on 14 August 2014)
DJB plays in important role in the international approach to itinerant perpetrator groups. In
particular, the handling of the itinerants requires attention at the international level if
comprehensive results are to be attained. It is for this reason that DJB has long been aiming to
place the crimes committed by itinerant perpetrator groups on the European agenda as an
important European phenomenon. DJB wants to ultimately ensure that other member
countries, together with the competent European bodies, consolidate the fight against this
phenomenon. In this context, DJB considers the following actions to be essential:

The broadening of the European interpretation and the demonstration of the
seriousness, the scope and the societal impact of the phenomenon.

The improvement of the European collaboration by means of building up a network of
member states that recognize the problem and that have the will to combat it.

The detection and handling of itinerant perpetrator groups that are active in different
EU countries by means of operational crime analyses based on the facts contained in
a Europol database (AWF Furtum) and the proposition of specific actions (high impact
operations, common operations…), among others.34
During the Belgian chairmanship of the European Union in 2010, the member states were
made aware of the problems related to itinerant perpetrator groups. In the 2011-2013
European policy cycle, the ‘Mobile Organised Criminal Groups (MOCG)’ were recognized as
a European safety priority. Fifteen EU member states committed themselves to jointly taking
VAN DAELE, S., and DUBOIS, S., “Rondtrekkende dadergroepen als (niet zo) nieuw
dadertype” in: CHRISTIAENSEN, S., DORMAELS, A., and VAN DAELE, S., (eds.), Diefstal
in woningen bijdragen voor een geïntegreerde beheersing vanuit beleid, praktijk en
wetenschap, Maklu, antwerpen, 2012, p.103-104
34
25
on this phenomenon, with Belgium as the ‘leading country’, under the form of an EMPACT
(European Multidisciplinary Projects Against Criminal Threats) project. The continuation of this
project for the 2014-2017 policy cycle is the EMPACT Organised Property Crime project (more
information about this can be found under the title EMPACT on p.). In practice, the
DJB/Organized Crime & ART service is responsible for the supervision and implementation of
this project.
The Organized Crime & ART Service is also responsible for a range of services, primarily
intended for the Police Departments:

Analysis of the domestic burglary phenomenon and other phenomena that are
committed by itinerant perpetrator groups. For the purpose of having an up-to-date
overview of the phenomena, a crime barometer is provided.

The performance of searches in a special database related to itinerant perpetrators
(telephone numbers, number plates of suspicious vehicles, persons).

The consultation of the ARTIST database35 upon the request of the Federal or Local
Police.

The coordination of judicial dossiers for the benefit of the Police Departments or the
Federal Public Prosecutor.

The coaching of a network of reference persons, at both the national (network of
“project managers itinerant perpetrators”) as well as at the international (within the
so-called EMPACT project Mobile Organised Crime Groups) levels.
2. Decentralized
level
(namely
the
12
decentralized
judicial
directorates)
Federal Judicial Police (FGP):
In each of the 12 judicial districts of Belgium, there is a decentralized directorate of the FGP 36.
The scope of the organization of these directorates can vary, but the personnel at each one
of these directorates specialize in the handling of high-priority criminal phenomena.
The most important task of the FGP is the performance of tracking investigations under the
guidance of the Public Prosecutor or of judicial investigations under the guidance of an
examining magistrate. This can occur in either a proactive or in a reactive manner. In the first
case, the investigation departs from the available information related to a criminal
The ART section of the ‘Organized Crime and ART’ Service collects all of the information
related to the theft and illegal trade of art and antiques, both nationally and
internationally. All artworks stolen in Belgium are stored in the ARTIST expert database,
which is managed by the ART section.
36
The judicial district of Brussels has two FGPs (Brussels and Halle-Vilvoorde); the
judicial district Hainaut has two FGPs (Mons and Charleroi).
35
26
perpetrator group, and the investigation proves the criminal activities. With a reactive
investigation, the point of departure is the crime, while an attempt is made to demonstrate
the culpability, or the lack thereof, of a suspect. The FGP strives to track criminal phenomena,
or the manifestations thereof, to report these phenomena to the authorized governments in a
timely fashion and to contribute to a reduction in the potential risk that criminal offences will
be committed.
In addition, it is also the responsibility of the FGPs to offer judicial expertise and specialized
resources, in particular to the Local Police. The fight against organized crime requires
increasingly more proactive actions. To do this, it is essential that good information is
available and that the Federal Police work together closely with the Local Police. The districts
sometimes work together amongst themselves, and the Central Directorates provide useful
support in these operations. This collaboration also continues outside of the country's borders,
sometimes in the form of an internationally composed investigative team.
Within these Directorates, “projects” are also developed at the district level in which the
integral (prevention, repression, follow-up…) and the integrated (with all partners and
governments) approach to priority phenomena are brought together in practice. The starting
point in doing this is the National Safety Plan and the programmes elaborated at the central
level. As a result, the FGPs are also occupied with burglaries, with a focus on the itinerant
perpetrator groups. They make the joint commitment to safety of all of the partners visible on
the terrain.
In the context of the general handling of the itinerant perpetrator groups, there is also a
‘project manager’ within each FGP who has been appointed to expand and give shape to
the “approach to itinerants” at the district level. These persons form a network of project
managers.
The District Information Crossroads (DIC):
In the context of criminal investigations into domestic burglary, an integrated approach to
information management is essential. The exchange and sharing of information and
knowledge between all of the police officers, regardless of the service to which they belong
or its level, is therefore also essential. To that end, each district has a District Information
Crossroads (DIC) where administrative and judicial information originating from the Local and
the Federal Police is processed and analysed.
Thanks to the privileged position that it occupies at the district level and thanks to its
extraordinary expertise, the DIC provides extra value to the police-related data via specific
27
monitoring of the phenomena and of the perpetrator groups, and it stimulates the exchange
(over the border) of policing-related information. The DIC also exercises a signalling function,
primarily with regard to all police units.
The DIC, composed of both Federal and Local Police officers, is responsible for the following
tasks, among others:

The rapid detection of specific, emerging “crime waves” (for example, domestic
burglaries in a specific neighbourhood), a new modus operandi or a new safety
problem, so that measures can be taken.

The identification of connections between offences/groups and the linking of these
connections with the information related to entities (persons, vehicles etc.) that has
already been collected.

The facilitation of the coordination of investigations.

The classification of the data in time and space for operational and strategic
purposes.

The provision of support for the monitoring of the phenomena and of well-defined
perpetrator and victim groups.

The contribution to the cross-border policing-related transfer of information, something
which is extremely important in light of the itinerant perpetrator groups.

The provision of support to the functional administrators of the Police Zones during the
handling of information.
In the framework of the general approach to itinerant perpetrator groups, a phenomenon
manager is appointed within each DIC who, together with the aforementioned project
managers, forms a network.
The Villa Daily project (see terrain visits) is an example of how the DIC is utilized to determine
where and when extra manpower is best applied. This reflects a clear, practical
implementation of their working methods.
Coordination and Support Services (CSD) and DirCos (Director-Coordinators):
The decentralized coordination and support directorates are supervised by an administrative
Director-Coordinator. This Director-Coordinator has a pivotal role which is expressed in the
area of the handling of safety phenomena, in the area of the organization of the information
stream related to administrative policing at the district level, in the area of interzonal
collaboration and in the area of the operation of the provincial Information and
Communication Centre (CIC).
28
The concrete interpretation of the tasks takes place per district, and in doing so the specificity
of each district is taken into account. In this way, the Director-Coordinator is permitted wideranging autonomy when fine-tuning the operations of his or her Directorate to the realities of
the district.
The Coordination and Support directorates are authorized to:

Support the decentralized Federal services.

Provide technical, administrative and operational support to the Local Police.

Provide coordination of the administrative police upon the request of the authorized
governments and to provide coordination of the support provided by the federal
level for the supra-local assignments from the administrative police.

Provide coordination and supervision of police operations in compliance with Articles
7.1 through 7.3 of the Act of 5 August 1992 regarding the office of the police.
With regard to domestic burglaries, the CSD and DirCos have several specific assignments.
Among other things, they are responsible for the daily management of the victims' assistance
capacity at the decentralized level. In addition, they also coordinate lines of reasoning and
working methods which involve all partners in the safety chain.
Finally, they also have a coordinating and supporting function in the Full Integrated Police
Actions (FIPA). All Local Police Zones take part in the FIPA. They receive support from the
Federal Police by way of the Provincial Intervention Corps (CIK), the Federal Judicial Police
(FGP), the Traffic Police (WPR) and the Coordination and Support Directorate (CSD). In
addition, specialized support can also be provided in the form of a detection dog and the Air
Support Service. In a number of districts, there are currently initiatives focusing on a
collaboration with private security firms during such campaigns.
These FIPA campaigns are especially important with regard to itinerant perpetrator groups. It
is assumed that these campaigns have a dissuasive and regulating effect. However, no
impact assessment has yet been made of this, therefore this cannot be asserted with
certainty. As long as such assessments have not yet been performed, it is not known whether
the benefits of the FIPA are worth their costs. The FIPA must be organized on the basis of a
thorough analysis performed in advance and by efforts at hotspots (locations with a high risk
of burglary, motorway entrance and exit ramps, access routes, ...) and at hot-times. The
performance of checks at strategic points of entry such as the Kennedy Tunnel in Antwerp or
at “Le tunnel de Cointe” in Liège is important. Often gangs from the large cities use such
points of entry to gain access to large sections of the territory. Such checks do require supralocal efforts by personnel and logistical resources. In addition to cars, itinerants also use public
29
transportation (trains, buses). Surveillance in the vicinity of stations or on trains, especially in
the early morning hours (return to the city) or in the late evening (departing the city) is also
recommended.37 During the terrain visits, a project like this, called Antigoon, was discussed in
the Hekla Police Zone. However, this project has been suspended because, here too,
considerations arose about the yield of the project.
Costs38
-
Personnel (number of FTEs)
-
Practical costs; in particular, administration, service vehicles, ICT equipment …
-
Victim support; in particular, social services, care provision by intervention agents and
Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants…
-
Specialized equipment for tracking investigations, laboratories …
-
Logistical help: vehicles, air support, canines …
Benefits
-
Decreases the chances of possible victimization; therefore the costs incurred as a
result of crime decrease. Consider, for example, the costs of stolen or destroyed
property, the medical care and psychological support of the victims, the time lost on
the settlement of material damages and medical and psychological recovery and
the emotional impact.
-
Decreases the costs in reaction to the crime committed: Consider the tracking,
prosecuting, trying and enforcement of sanctions by the Police and the Judiciary.
-
Aid to victims: Caring for the psychological consequences of the burglary.
-
Increases the information about criminal phenomena; better interpretation.
-
Detention of perpetrators
-
If possible, the recovery of stolen goods
-
The presence of the Police increases the feeling of safety of the citizens.
-
Dissuasive and regulating effect on perpetrator groups.
-
By taking precisely those measures that have demonstrated their effectiveness,
targeted capacity can be utilized (e.g., hotspot analysis, effective tracking measures,
…)
DIENST GEORGANISEERDE DIEFSTALLEN EN KUNST, “Naar een effectieve en efficiënte
aanpak van woninginbraken gepleegd door rondtrekkende dadergroepen”, Het
Politiejournaal, april 2014, p. 5
38
These costs reflect a compilation of all Federal Services. It was decided not to further
subdivide this, since certain costs, such as personnel costs, are similar.
37
30
5.2 The role of the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutors
The judicial power of Belgium is organized hierarchically and regionally. Depending on the
type of crime and/or dispute, the jurisdiction accrues to separate judicial bodies. If the
appeal of a ruling is possible, then this will be filed with the body which is hierarchically or
regionally higher than the body who pronounced the original verdict. Within Belgium there
are 225 judicial cantons, 27 judicial districts and 5 judicial areas. However, the Judiciary is
currently being reformed. The intention is to give the judicial order more autonomy and
responsibility. On 1 April 2014, the system was scaled up, resulting in the formation of 187
judicial cantons and 12 judicial districts. The advantages of this at the level of the district will
be numerous:

Better management because the districts will receive more autonomy in the areas of
resources and personnel.

More opportunities to work with specializations within a district and therefore to be
able to deliver more quality.

Better opportunities for collaboration between small and medium-sized entities.

More efficient management of the corps, because the number of mandates will be
reduced and more responsibility will be assumed by the corps superiors, who will be
given more responsibilities within the greater framework.

The Judicial backlog will be able to be more quickly eliminated by a more efficient
utilization of the resources, which, in turn, will result in a decline in turnaround times. 39
The role of the Judiciary and of the Public Prosecutors is expressed primarily in terms of
‘tertiary prevention’. Burglary prevention in and of itself has little effect on the fight against this
phenomenon if a total approach is not in place. Every actor in the chain must play his or her
own role in the story of proactivity-prevention-reactivity and follow-up. The prosecution of the
perpetrators and the sentencing and reintegration that follow are just as important. This
means that attempts are made to prevent recurrence or aggravation. The most important
element in achieving this is an efficient and effective prosecution and sentencing policy.
If this is applied to domestic burglaries, then the following elements are essential:

the prioritization of domestic burglary dossiers whereby one uniform, national
approach to the judicial investigation and the prosecution policy is utilized;

the effective and rapid implementation of punishments; this is essential if any positive
effect is to be garnered from the handing down of sentences so that the creation of a
state of impunity is avoided;
39
http://justitie.belgium.be/nl/rechterlijke_orde/hervorming_justitie/
31

efforts in the area of reintegration into society and the follow-up of convicts once they
have completed their sentences.
The graph below shows the different categories of cases of theft with breaking and entering
and trespassing that the examining magistrates received between 2008 and 2012. There was
an increase in the number of cases throughout this period. This is the result of the increasing
number of thefts with breaking and entering and trespassing, as shown in Figure 2. In addition,
it is noteworthy that the number of cases that must still be tried has decreased in comparison
with 2009-2010. From this reduction, one can conclude that prioritizing burglary cases allows
for more rapid responses to these cases.
Figure 10: Examining magistrates – Judges' Council Chamber: Theft with breaking and
entering and trespassing
4000
3500
3267
3674
3521
3501
files who have been handed over to
the magistrate court to be
examined
3241
3000
2500
2113
2000
files of previous years of which the
research is resumed
2150
1873
1842
1802
1500
1049
1052
1093
1005
1090
files of previous years that are still
being researched
1000
500
58
60
2008
2009
6
6
14
the amount of files at the end of
the year that still wait to be judged
0
2010
2011
2012
Source: Statistics courts: Court of First Instance (examining magistrates and Judges' Council
Chamber)
http://justitie.belgium.be/nl/informatie/statistieken/statistieken_hoven_en_rechtbank
en/
5.2.1 Local Public Prosecutors
The Court of First Instance, the Police Court and the Commercial Court together make up the
Federal Public Prosecutor. There are 14 offices of the Public Prosecutor, one in each judicial
32
district40. The Federal Public Prosecutor and his or her deputies act here as the Public
Prosecutor's Office.
In criminal cases, the Federal Public Prosecutor is involved starting from the criminal
investigation. (This begins with the preliminary investigation but also includes the judicial
investigation for the examining courts, i.e., the Judges' Council Chamber and the Court's
Indictment Division.) If the case comes before a criminal court to be judged on its merits, they
advance the application of the penal code. After a punishment has been pronounced, they
ensure that the sentences pronounced are also carried out. They work together closely with
the Police in these matters. Then the responsible reference magistrate functions as a point of
contact for the Police Departments, the Justice Houses and his or her colleagues. The
reference magistrate also provides information and coordinates the handling of the dossiers
for the purpose of arriving at a uniform approach.
The ‘cash converter’ terrain visit clearly demonstrates how a Local Public Prosecutor can help
the Police Zones and municipalities in their fight against domestic burglaries.
5.2.2 Federal Public Prosecutor
The Federal Public Prosecutor is a public prosecutor whose authority extends over the entire
Belgian territory. It was established in order to more efficiently take action against criminal
activities which transcend the authority of the Local Public Prosecutors (such as human
trafficking, terrorism, organized crime and money laundering).
Since itinerant perpetrator groups often operate in rural areas and less frequently in the
districts in which they live, efforts made in this area must cross district borders. The Federal
Public Prosecutor is responsible for the adequate organization and collaboration of these
efforts. They create consultation forums related to itinerant perpetrator groups for the home
districts. This method is an attempt to tackle the offences as well as the underlying criminal
structures and networks. In addition, they must also help the Local Police Departments, who
are often overburdened by waves of burglaries perpetrated by itinerants.41
With the exception of Brussels, where there is a public prosecutor for Halle-Vilvoorde
and one for Brussels, and of Hainaut, which has a public prosecutor for Mons and one for
Charleroi.
41
wetenschap, Maklu, antwerpen, 2012, p.101
40
33
An important advantage of the Federal Public Prosecutor is the international aspect. The
Federal Public Prosecutor maintains relationships and exchanges information with similar
foreign agencies. This is particularly important with regard to the handling or storing of stolen
goods by itinerant groups of perpetrators. The fact is, itinerant perpetrator groups often
transport their loot to their countries of origin. In order to stop this, the stream of goods must
be mapped out and cooperation with the countries of origin are essential. The Federal Public
Prosecutor functions as a pivotal international figure and contact point for foreign institutions,
simplifying international collaborations in this manner. 42
5.2.3 Service for Penal Policy (Dienst voor het strafrechtelijk beleid (DSB))
The Service for Penal Policy is the policy-supporting and policy-coordinating service of the
Minister of Justice. It is the nerve centre of a general policy which comprises appearances
before the judiciary and the preparation for and the follow-up of these appearances. Here,
attention is paid to the coordination with the prevention policy and to the policy regarding
the implementation of punishments and measures.
On 3 March 2014, the Service for Penal Policy was integrated into the Directorate III – Penal
code of DG Legislation, Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. This integration will ensure closer
cooperation with the other services of the FPS Justice, which are also active in the penal
domain. Thanks to the integration, the College of Attorneys-General and the future College
of the Public Prosecutors' Office can call on more systematic support. 43
The Service aims to develop a better, more coherent, efficient and effective penal policy by
implementing scientifically founded policy cycles throughout the entire criminal law chain.
Their role in this is as follows:

Policy preparation and development in which the current criminal safety situation is
scanned and analysed according to scientific and statistical methods and in which
policy plans are prepared and developed;

Policy formulation whereby the Minister consolidates the policy according to a plan
within the Federal Government and in consultation with the regional governments;

Policy implementation and execution;

Monitoring and evaluation of the adopted policy.
wetenschap, Maklu, antwerpen, 2012, p.102
43
DIENST VOOR HET STRAFRECHTELIJK BELEID, http://www.dsbspc.be/web/index.php?lang=dutch, 2014
42
34
The goal of the DSB is an integral safety policy, a cornerstone of which is an integrated penal
code44. It is for this reason that the DSB takes active part in all of the networks that ensure that
the flow of information and documentation between the members of the Public Prosecutors
Office is promoted. The Service for Penal Policy also links up all of the social partners that must
become involved in an integral safety policy throughout the entire policy cycle.
The DSB focuses on three criminal phenomena: serious and organized crime (organized crime
such as terrorism and business crime and white-collar crime such as economic, financial and
environmental crime and human trafficking and smuggling), offences against persons and
goods (sexual delinquency, prostitution, traffic safety, drugs, racism and intra-familial
violence) and problems related to juveniles (juvenile delinquency and children-at-risk). The
problems related to itinerant perpetrator groups who commit thefts involving breaking and
entering also belong to the organized crime category. The DSB is responsible for statistics
related to convicted perpetrators of well-defined criminal offences.
Costs
-
Personnel costs, in particular, for magistrates, clerks of the court, administrative
personnel…
-
Practical costs, in particular, ICT services, investigation costs…
-
Development costs and training for personnel
Benefits
-
Unambiguous, uniform penal policy
-
Better follow-up of convicted perpetrators
-
Increase in the solution rate: more efficient and more rapid punishments resulting in
the avoidance of a state of lawlessness.
-
The benefits listed above have a dissuasive effect on future perpetrators.
5.3 The role of the Local Police
In Belgium, there are 195 Police Zones; they make up the local level. A police zone consists of
one or more municipalities. Fifty of the Police Zones cover the territory of one, single
municipality (city or village –‘single-municipality zone’). The other 145 Police Zones cover
more than one municipality. Each Local Police Department is led by a Police Chief. He or she
is responsible for the implementation of the policy of the Local Police. The Police Chief also
In this respect, the Service has also worked on the Framework Policy Document on
‘Integral Safety’ from 2004.
44
35
guarantees the leadership, the organization and the division of work within the force. The
Chief carries out these actions under the authority of the Mayor for the zones that consist of
one municipality or under the authority of the Police College for zones that consist of more
than one municipality. The Police College is composed of the Mayors of the various cities and
municipalities.
The Local Police guarantee the “basic policing”45. In concrete terms, that means that each
zone must perform at least seven basic tasks: district operations, reception, intervention,
police victim support, local search efforts, traffic and the maintenance of the public order.
They must also safeguard some police tasks of a federal nature; for example, the
maintenance of law and order during large events or during football games.
5.3.1 Investigations
When it comes to domestic burglary and itinerant perpetrator groups, the Local Police are an
important partner. In fact, domestic burglaries have been prioritized in most zonal safety
plans. It is often the intervention teams from the Local Police who are the first to arrive at the
scene when a domestic burglary is reported. They also lead the local search efforts and the
local investigation. Ensuring the gathering of high-quality and thorough first-line findings
remains a critical factor in the success of the tracking of itinerant perpetrator groups. So,
carrying out a tracking investigation at the site of the offence or on the object of the crime is
an essential basic task. In the case of domestic burglaries, special attention must be paid to
fingerprinting, palm printing and the collection of DNA samples as well as to the utilization of
telephone data. Another important aspect is a well-detailed registration of the information
into the National General Database (Algemene nationale gegevensbank) (ANG)).46
In addition to identification investigations and tracking, it is also important, right from the start,
to pay attention to the financial approach.47 This approach must allow an estimate to be
made of the illegal income (investigation of assets) or must allow the criminal capacity to be
tracked with a view to confiscation and possible impounding 48. The local investigators can
7 december 1998, Wet tot organisatie van een geïntegreerde politiedienst,
gestructureerd op 2 niveaus. BS 5 januari 1999, 132
46
47
48
At the start of the tracking investigation, several basic operations can be carried out,
such as the taking of protective measures during searches of premises (e.g., searching
for financial data, the identification of bank accounts and credit cards, the confiscation of
45
36
perform this financial ‘basic investigation’ and, in doing so, avoid the loss of essential
elements which are important for a more in-depth investigation by financial detectives or by
a pluck team that has been formed especially for this purpose (systematic recovery of
criminal assets).
The police-control of certain jewellers and goldsmiths is important with regard to the storage
and handling of the criminal assets, given that stolen jewellery is often sold through them.
These controls can occur in collaboration with the inspection services of the FPS Economy
(supervision of special legislation). The “Organized robbery and ART” service has formulated a
“Strategy for the control of jewellers, gold dealers and smelters” for the benefit of the Police
Departments doing the monitoring. In addition to this, the recent regulations requiring dealers
to keep a register of sellers are taken into account.49
In order to have an actual impact on itinerant perpetrator groups, it is not only important to
have the investigation target the perpetrators of domestic burglaries but to also target the
persons ordering the burglaries, those providing logistical support for the burglaries and those
who store and sell the criminal assets, who in turn control and support a multitude of
perpetrator groups.
In addition, it is also of the utmost importance that the Local Police supply the national and
international databases. This is especially important with a view to the tracking and rounding
up of itinerant perpetrator groups. Perpetrators within these groups often have several
identities and move easily across national borders. A qualitative application of the triptych
(fingerprints, photos and individual description) is necessary. For the fingerprints, it is important
to request both the GID50 and the Printrak51. In addition, special attention must be paid to the
taking of clearly recognizable photographs of the suspect in a natural position. In certain
districts, specific guidelines have been formulated by the judicial authorities in which the
Police Departments, when confronted with suspicious actions under certain circumstances,
must proceed to identity checks, possibly followed by detention. This detention allows the
these, the blocking of accounts, ...) and the asking of a number of financially oriented
questions during the first interrogations.
49
50
GID is a general database of fingerprints and finger patterns.
51
Printrak is a database of fingerprints of asylum seekers and illegal aliens.
37
Police Departments the time necessary to make an in-depth verification of the identity of the
suspect.52
The limitation of unrestricted mobility also has a preventive effect. Today, within the realm of
technology-led policing, the use of ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) is already a
fact53. Itinerants often make use of stolen vehicles or number plates to move around. 54
Number plate recognition is an important instrument for collecting data related to the
relocation behaviour and can yield elements that are useful for search efforts. The decision to
purchase an ANPR machine is made by the Local Police themselves, in consultation with the
Mayor. In fact, each zone can decide where to spend its own budget. An ANPR from the
neighbouring Police Zone is sometimes used during terrain visits to the Hekla Police Zone.
Moreover, during normal traffic checks, police officers may also be on the look out for
burglar's equipment or possible criminal assets. Perpetrators can be caught in this manner.
5.3.2 Victim support
In the event of a domestic burglary, the Local Police are often the first on the scene. As
mentioned above, they are responsible for the investigation into the crime, but they are also
the first contact point for the victims. The police officers receive them and give them the
contact details for victims' assistance services. This is extremely important, because the effects
of domestic burglaries on citizens are very far-reaching. The private sphere is in fact violated
by burglary. According to research, 65% of victims still experience the effects of the burglary 4
to 10 weeks after it has occurred. These effects include feelings of uncertainty and
discomfort. Victims continue to be mentally preoccupied with the burglary 55. The need for
clear, unambiguous information and for the involvement of the police officers is extremely
important. To be more precise, the victims are in need of a friendly approach, a feeling that
the Police are willing to take action and a listening ear 56.
53
The decision to purchase an ANPR system varies from zone to zone. The Local Police
Zones and the Mayor decide themselves on what to allocate their budgets.
54
55
VANDERSTRAETEN, B., en. co. "Slachtofferschap bij diefstal in woningen” in:
Antwerpen: Maklu, 2012, p.234
56
VANDERSTRAETEN, B., en. co. “Slachtofferschap bij diefstal in woningen” in:
52
38
In addition, many Police Zones have a running ‘Hercosi’ project. Hercosi, in Dutch, stands for
hercontactname met slachtoffers na inbraak; in English this translates to re-contact with
victims after burglary. This project calls for re-contacting the victims of a(n) (attempted)
burglary. This is often done within 7 days of the burglary by a Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultant; at that time the Consultant offers advice. In addition to the advice related to the
security of the home for the purpose of preventing another burglary, the follow-up is also
important for improving and repairing the trust between the government/Police and the
population, for increasing the willingness to report, for stimulating the surveillance in the
neighbourhood and for lending emotional support to the victim.57 An example of Hercosi can
be found in the terrain visits; in the Hekla Police Zone, an expanded version of Hercosi has
been organized.
5.3.3 Prevention
The Local Police are also active in the area of preventive measures against domestic
burglaries. They are responsible for appointing policing-related Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultants (There are also municipal Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants; they are
discussed in greater detail on p. 29.) and for organizing technical preventive training for
intervention staff members and the district police officers. In addition to this, the Local Police
also actively participates in the set-up and maintenance of Neighbourhood Information
Networks (more information about BINs on p. 53). Finally, the Local Police also organize the
surveillance of homes when the residents are absent. When people go on holiday, they can
let the Police know. The Local Police will then increase their vigilance of the area and will pass
by the residence at irregular times.
The Local Police is also responsible for indirect preventive measures. The district police officers
can gather knowledge about the residences of (potential) perpetrators during their
neighbourhood policing. In various Local Police Zones, initiatives have been taken to gain
better insight into what is important within and between these communities. This has to do
with “knowing and being known by” these groups so that possible suspicious actions or
persons can be detected early. This is especially important in connection with itinerant
Antwerpen: Maklu, 2012, p.245
57
KERKAB, R., and DEROOVER, M., “Naburig herhaald slachtofferschap bij
woninginbraken” in: CHRISTIAENSEN, S., DORMAELS, A., and VAN DAELE, S., (eds.),
Diefstal in woningen; Bijdragen voor een geïntegreerde beheersing vanuit beleid, praktijk
en wetenschap, Antwerpen: Maklu, 2012, p. 53
39
perpetrator groups, since they make systematic use of friends and family, throughway
terrains, vacation domains, cheap hotels and other establishments that provide lodging. 58
Technical preventive advice and the role of the Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultant
The Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant provides free, objective and customized advice
for the prevention of burglary, petty theft and robbery. The burglary-sensitive points of the
residence, the professional premises or the (semi-)public building are mapped out, and a
non-binding security recommendation is formulated. The Consultant certainly does not
always choose the most expensive solutions but instead chooses measures that are in
proportion to the potential risks. The starting point when formulating this non-commercial
advice is organizational measures before calling on mechanical and electronic measures.59
The tasks of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant aim to raise awareness in the area
of burglary prevention:

to provide objective advice about burglary prevention free-of-charge

to provide advice to the candidate builders or to the people who are renovating a
residence, sometimes on the basis of plans made by the architect

to advise the self-employed, merchants, persons who practice the liberal professions
… about security against burglary/robbery/shoplifting

to provide explanation/conferences about crime prevention to various target groups
(upon the request of citizens groups, neighbourhood associations, merchants
associations, professional associations, …)

to supply relevant and up-to-date information about technical preventive equipment
and about various security and prevention techniques 60

to increase the awareness of the public by means of information stands at various
events or by means of specific projects or local prevention campaigns
The knowledge of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants is further developed and
kept up-to-date by means of provincial round tables and additional training, personal
research, company visits, contact with the Directorate for Local Integral Safety from FPS
59
SCHOETERS, I., “Een relationele technopreventie: anticiperen op het inbraakproces” in:
60
Prev 31: Omzendbrief ter verduidelijking van de functie, het profiel en de erkenning
van de technopreventieve adviseurs, BS april 2004, 40182
58
40
Home Affairs, inter-provincial exchanges etc. The relationship between the Domestic Burglary
Prevention Consultant, the police officers and local advisors is fostered so that a rapid and
precise exchange of information can take place concerning burglaries, police statistics...
Likewise, good practices related to prevention are exchanged between the advisors at the
national level by means of various consultation or communication structures. At the Federal
level, for example, there is a specific consultation structure, namely the Strategic Committee
on Technical Prevention, with various representatives from the different provinces.
Prevention Consultants often have several functions. A questionnaire from 2011 of the
Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants themselves showed that 72% of them only
performed their function as such on a part-time basis. Moreover, more than half of the
Consultants completes less than 5 home visits per month. Sixty-nine percent give fewer than 5
information sessions per year, and 73% participate in less than 5 events per year. 61 In addition,
the advice of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant is not only obtained for domestic
thefts, but it is also called in for other matters. The following graph depicts this nicely. 62
Figure 11: Offences that are the subject of the advice provided
200
183
180
160
140
120
95
100
76
80
65
64
60
48
40
23
20
0
burglaries
bicycle theft theft of/from
vehicles
pickpockets
theft with list armed robbery
others
Source: GENERAL SERVICE FOR SAFETY AND PREVENTION, Survey about: Integral Safety Policy (2012
January 16) TPA COM.
ALGEMENE DIENST VOOR VEILIGHEID EN PREVENTIE, Enquete over: Beleid Integrale
Veiligheid (2012 januari 16) TPA COM. See Appendix 1 for the quota from the survey.
62
61
41
Besides this, not all of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants have the same employer.
Some of them work for the Police (as civilian personnel as well as police officers), others work
for the municipalities and still others can be employed by the province. The chart below
provides a overview of the CALog personnel 63, the Police personnel and the municipal
personnel.
Figure 12: Distribution of Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants expressed in percentages
3,7%
11,8%
police personnel
calog personnel
municipal staff
84,5%
In addition to the aforementioned Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants, volunteers are
also utilized.64 Research related to prevention advice performed by the Service for Social
Safety of the Province of Flemish Brabant underscores the importance of these volunteers.
The utilization of volunteers leads to increased contact with the population and to an
increase in the number of recommendations given. Conversely, it appears that those zones
with a low number of recommendations also have a smaller number of volunteers present.
The explanation for this is that volunteers have more time, resulting in their being better able
to react to the existing requests for advice. This also means that the quality of the advice
increases65. In addition to the importance of volunteers who provide recommendations, it
also appears to be beneficial to provide individual advice—customized advice in which
solutions are proposed for the burglary-sensitive points of the residence66.
This terms refers to the civilian personnel who work for the Police.
Prev 31: Omzendbrief ter verduidelijking van de functie, het profiel en de erkenning
van de technopreventieve adviseurs, BS april 2004, 40182
65
VLAAMS-BRABANT, inbraken en veilig wonen? Samen maken we het verschil, forum op
vrijdag 29 november 2013, Provinciehuis Leuven,
http://www.vlaamsbrabant.be/binaries/forum-inbraak-veilig-wonen-samenvattendrapport-29-11-2013_tcm5-93595.pdf,
66
SYMONS, L., DECLERCK, J., GELDERS, D., PLEYSIER, S., BOUCKAERT, G., Onderzoeksrapport –
Tevredenheid en effectiviteit van technopreventief advies, Leuven, Eindrapport
onderzoeksproject in opdracht van Directie Lokale Integrale Veiligheid Fod Binnenlandse
Zaken, 2008, p. 15.
63
64
42
The following charts provide insight into the number of Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultants who are active in 2013-2014. What is noteworthy about this data is that not all
Police Zones have a Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant at this time 67.
Figure 13: Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants in Belgium
Flanders
311
Wallonia
Brussels
297
72
Source: FPS Home Affairs – General Service for Safety and Prevention
Figure 14: 311 Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants in Flanders
57
84
Antwerp
Limburg
East Flanders
Flemish brabant
68
30
west Flanders
70
Internal document FOD Binnenlandse Zaken, TPAlijst 2013-2014, 2013. This list is
dynamic because of the fact that there are constantly new people coming or going.
67
43
Figure 15: 297 Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants in the Walloon Region
42
Liège
60
Henegovia
42
Namur
Luxemburg
38
115
wallonian
brabantine
Technical preventive advice is one of the most important preventive measures for increasing
the citizens' awareness of the need to secure their homes. The effectiveness of and the
satisfaction with technical preventive advice was surveyed in 2007. The results showed that
the effect of the advice is on target. ‘More than 90% of those surveyed have a favourable
opinion of the technical preventive advice they received and would recommend this service
to other people. Eighty percent of those asked would completely or partially carry out the
actions advised, and one-third of the respondents feel safer in their homes after following
through on the technical preventive advice.’ 68 However, this must be put into perspective,
because in a survey performed at Batibouw in 2010, no less than 65% of the respondents
indicated that they did not know that the position existed, and in 2011, this figure was 56% 69!
In other words, those who use the services of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants
are very positive in general, but the position is not yet well enough known. The following
graph shows how attempts are made to make the position more well known.70
SYMONS, L., DECLERCK, J., GELDERS, D., PLEYSIER, S., BOUCKAERT, G., Onderzoeksrapport –
Tevredenheid en effectiviteit van technopreventief advies, Leuven, Eindrapport
onderzoeksproject in opdracht van Directie Lokale Integrale Veiligheid Fod Binnenlandse
Zaken, 2008, pp. 112-146
69
70
68
44
Figure 16: How is the citizen made aware of technical preventive measures?
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
website of the Website of the contact with
municipality police zone
victiums
oral on an
event
handing out
leaflets
information
sheet of the
municipality
others
The fact that only 35% to 44% of the population is aware of the existence of this position was
an impetus to the launch of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant communication
campaign, which originated from the Directorate for Local Integral Safety (SILV) from the FPS
Home Affairs. From now on, instead of the term Technical Preventive Advisor, the term
Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant is used in the external communication from SILV in
brochures, folders and websites. This term has been chosen because it is a simpler and
clearer name. The official designation of Technical Preventive Advisor continues to be used
internally within the Police and the municipalities (in circulars, in training reference dossiers,…).
Several of the terrain visits have shown how some of the projects try to increase how wellknown the technical preventive advice is! In addition to this, municipalities and Police
Departments try to make efforts to prevent repeat victims. When a burglary has occurred
and is reported, oftentimes a Prevention Consultant goes to visit the victims to explain his or
her services. However, it is also important to emphasize the preventive (proactive)
component and not only the reactive one.
45
The advice of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant targets a broad audience: the
citizens, the self-employed, the administrative authorities, the victims and non-victims but also
the candidate builders or restaurant owners, the public institutions, senior citizens ... There are
3 groups who most benefit from technical preventive research. These are the victims of a
burglary (attempt), the residents of the so-called high-risk neighbourhoods and the
population groups who are currently not being reached in sufficient numbers (the
undereducated, renters, apartment dwellers…). However, we do see that the domestic
burglary prevention advise offered primarily reaches people with higher incomes. In addition,
this group, when it follows the advice given, spends more on burglary prevention than people
from lower income groups. In the future, the policy should be more focussed on these highrisk neighbourhoods and target groups71. Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants were
used intensively in various terrain visits (Wij-kk-ijken, dark, rosace…). This topic will be discussed
in greater detail during the analysis of the terrain visits.
Costs
-
personnel, in particular, Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants, district police
officers, authorized civil servants, intervention teams, detectives…
-
practical costs, in particular, ICT costs, vehicles, awareness-raising materials…
-
costs of training personnel
Benefits72
-
-
Decreases the costs in the reaction to the crime committed: Consider the tracking,
KERKAB, R., and DEROOVER, M., “Naburig herhaald slachtofferschap bij woninginbraken”
in: CHRISTIAENSEN, S., DORMAELS, A., and VAN DAELE, S., (eds.), Diefstal in
woningen; Bijdragen voor een geïntegreerde beheersing vanuit beleid, praktijk en
wetenschap, Antwerpen: Maklu, 2012, p. 70
72
There are critical objections to the benefits of a Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultant. In fact, Vollaart proposes that merely giving advice is insufficient. Change
will only occur if the technical preventive measures are obligatory. VOLLAARD, B., “Alleen
verplicht inbouwen van preventiemaatregelen helpt tegen inbraak” in: CHRISTIAENSEN,
S., DORMAELS, A., and VAN DAELE, S., (eds.), Diefstal in woningen; Bijdragen voor een
geïntegreerde beheersing vanuit beleid, praktijk en wetenschap, Antwerpen: Maklu,
2012, p. 153-162
46
-
Prevents the victim from becoming professionally inactive as a result of the physical
consequences of the burglary and prevents socio-economic consequences for
society.
-
Increases the feeling of safety of the citizens.
-
Educates the citizens and creates awareness.
-
Increases the solution rate by means of rapid interventions.
-
Victim support.
-
Improved interpretation of the phenomenon due to the maintenance of databases.
-
Targeted actions and patrols ensure control of the phenomenon.
5.4 INTERNATIONAL
5.4.1 EU policy cycle and the EMPACT projects
In 2010 the European Council of the Ministers of Home Affairs and Justice decided (on the
recommendation of The Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal
Security – COSI) at the European level that the best way to handle crime in Europe was to
create a European policy cycle for the fight against organized and serious international
crime73. The goal of this multi-annual policy cycle (4 years, in principle) is to handle the most
important criminal threats at the European level in a coherent and methodological manner
via an optimal collaboration between the relevant services of the member states, the EU
institutions and agencies as well as the relevant third-party countries and organizations.
This policy cycle consists of 4 large steps:
i.
Europol makes a European snapshot of the criminal threats in the EU: The European
Union Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (EU SOCTA). This snapshot is
compiled on the basis of a survey of all of the EU member states concerning the
situations and the circumstances of criminal phenomena and active perpetrator
groups in their countries.
ii.
On the basis of the results of this survey, the European Council of the Ministers of Home
Affairs and Justice establishes a limited number of priorities which will be worked on
during the next 4 years. The COSI once again has an advisory role in this. Based on the
SOCTA, the COSI formulates a Policy Advisory Document (PAD) for this purpose.
Each member state decides whether it wants to participate together with other
member states in a project (EMPACT project – see below) for the purpose of handling
a security priority.
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Draft Council Conclusions on the creation and
implementation of a EU policy cycle for organised and serious international crime, st
15358/10 (ENFOPOL 298), 25 October 2010
73
47
For each priority, a multi-annual strategic plan (Multi-Annual Strategic Plan - MASP) is
developed by the interested member states and with the support of the European
Commission, Europol and Eurojust with a view to a multi-disciplinary, integrated and
integral (prevention and repression) approach.
iii.
On the basis of the MASP, annual Operational Action Plans (OAPs) are formulated
and implemented by means of a collaboration between the member states who
want to tackle that specific priority. This collaboration operates as a multi-disciplinary
platform (European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats - EMPACT)74 with
representatives from the relevant member states, the EU institutions and agencies and
the relevant third-party countries and organizations (public and private). Per EMPACT
project, each participating EU member state has an expert who brings the
operational plan back to the terrain in his or her country and implements it. Two of the
member states are asked to coordinate the work activities by assuming the roles of
driver and co-pilot.
iv.
At the end of the policy cycle, a thorough evaluation is made which serves as input
for the following cycle.
The European policy cycle is analogous to the Belgian policy cycle (National Policing-related
Safety Policy, Framework Policy Document, National Safety Plan, District and Zonal Safety
Plans) and also came about under Belgian impetus during the Belgian chairmanship of the EU
in 201075.
As a test project, a policy cycle of 2 years was tried first. In 2011 “Mobile Organised Crime
Groups” (MOCG) were recognized as one of the eight most important European safety
problems in the EU policy cycle for the fight against organized and serious crime (20112013)76. In keeping with the European framework for providing a common answer to this
threat,77 an EMPACT project was launched. Sixteen MS 78 participated in the EMPACT project
“Mobile Organised Crime Groups" with Belgium as the driver and France as the co-pilot. In
practice, the MOCG section of the Organized Crime & ART Service in Belgium (Federal Police
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Amending the COSPOL framework into EMPACT,
st15386/3/11 rev 3 (ENFOPOL 355), 14 December 2011
75
Harmony" project - "A generic European Crime Intelligence Model - Bringing together
the existing instruments and strengthening Europol's central role" - initiated by Belgium
with the support of the European Commission’s Framework Partnership Agreement
“Prevention of and fight against crime”.
76
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Conclusions on setting the EU’s priorities for the
fight against organised crime between 2011 and 2013, ENFOPOL 184, 6 June 2011
77
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Draft conclusions from the Council concerning the
creation and implementation of an EU policy cycle for organized and serious international
crime, ST 15358/10, ENFOPOL 298
78
Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland,
Lithuania, The Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden
74
48
- DJB Directorate) represented the project and took the lead as the driver at the European
level.
In 2012, the focus of the project was primarily on setting up basic structures to support a
European approach to the “new” “Mobile Organised Crime Groups” phenomenon,
structures such as a European network of “itinerants” contact persons, a European
interpretation of this problem, the exchange of information with and supply of information to
the European databases and member states. In 2013, the principal activities were targeted
at the strengthening of operational activities at the European level with increased attention
to the financial component of investigations, the multi-disciplinary approach and the
exposure of legislative obstacles and difficulties in the MOCG approach. In concrete terms,
this led to a further strengthening of the international exchange of information related to
itinerant perpetrator groups among the member states and with Europol. Europol supported
more than 50 European investigations which involved more than 2 countries. In these studies,
more than 200 suspects were arrested.
At this time, this European approach continues to be developed in the new EMPACT project
entitled “Organised Property Crime with focus on Mobile Organised Crime Groups” (EMPACT
OPC) which is an extension of EMPACT MOCG and runs from 2014 to 2017. Twenty member
states79 are participating in this project, and Belgium and France are once again the driver
and co-pilot, respectively. The most important objectives in the current cycle are more
operationally oriented than they were in the previous cycle. In that context, the goal is to
continue to harmonize the operations related to investigations into itinerant perpetrator
groups that are performed by the members states and the international agencies (Europol,
Eurojust, Cepol and Interpol). This must lead to more integrated collaborations for the purpose
of identifying and handling High Value Targets (HVT) within the Mobile Organised Crime
Groups.
There are 29 actions provided for in the 2014 action plan which strongly target the
strengthening of a European coordinated operational approach with support from the
judicial agencies (Federal Public Prosecutor, Eurojust, Local Public Prosecutors) and the multidisciplinary approach. There are 8 general main actions which can be distinguished:

Data gathering on Organised Property Crime and the broadening of the inclusion of
itinerant perpetrator groups;

Strengthening of the information exchange at the EU level; this relates, for example, to
the exchange of DNA data;
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland,
Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia
and the United Kingdom.
79
49

Improving the information exchange with countries that do not belong to the EU,
namely the Western Balkans, Latin America etc.

Performing joint investigations into OCGs (Organized Crime Groups) active in OPC
(Organized Property Crime).

Financial approach. This includes a study of how to recover the perpetrator's money
or house after he or she has been caught.

Multi-disciplinary approach. Here, processes that support the activities of itinerant
perpetrator groups, among other things, will be targeted. For example, targeting rackrenters
can have a positive effect, since itinerant perpetrators often take up residence for short
periods of time. Investigating hotels can also be a positive addition to this approach. The
objective is to work together frequently with other governmental services and with private
partners.

Increasing the awareness of judicial authorities. The goal here is to convince local and
federal courts not to lose sight of the international dimension.

Strengthening legislative instruments at the level of the EU. Research must be done
into what the problems are in the different countries and how they can be improved.
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, in particular, ICT services, transportation, meetings…
Benefits
-
Increase in international collaboration
-
Unequivocal policy vision
-
Improvement in the data gathering related to the phenomenon of itinerant
perpetrator groups
-
-
-
Exchange of information.
-
Development of a long-term vision;
50
5.4.2 The role of Europol
Europol is the law enforcement institution of the European Union. Their most important
objective is to create a safer Europe for all of its citizens. They do this by supporting the
member states in their fights against serious international crime and terrorism. Their most
important task in this is to offer a platform for the exchange and analysis of information
related to criminal offences. Europol uses its information potential and the expertise of its
employees to monitor and identify the most dangerous criminal and terrorism networks in
Europe. In doing this, Europol supports more than 18,000 cross-border investigations per year.
Europol has no executive authority, but it does provide support to the EU member states by
collecting, analysing and distributing information and by coordinating the necessary
measures. This means that Europol has no say in investigations or in the arrest of suspects.
Europol offers the following services and is responsible for being:

A centre for support for law enforcement operations.

An information hub related to criminal organizations.

A centre of expertise related to law enforcement.

One of the highest concentrations of analytical capacity in the EU.

The producer of regular reports and evaluations (including the Serious and Organised
Crime Threat Assessment).

A 24/7 operational centre for safety.

A central platform for law enforcement experts from the countries of the European
Union.
Regarding the prevention of domestic burglary, Europol stimulates the exchange of best
practices and of information. International databases are extremely important within this
exchange of information. These databases can contribute to the correct determination of
identity, something which is frequently needed when itinerant perpetrator groups are
involved. Enquiries can be made to the Europol Information System in real time (via the
District Information Crossroads (DIC) or the National Contact Point (NCP)) for the purpose of
verifying what types of criminal information about an entity exist in the other member states.
Depending on the member states, photographs are available and whether or not fingerprints
and/or DNA are available is also indicated.
80
Finally, the analysis files from Europol (Analytical
Workfiles – AWF) can also be requested. These files included substantial case information
First of all, via the EIS (Europol Information System), a check can be made of whether an entity is already
known (read: has had its information supplied to Europol) in
another member state. Then more targeted information can be requested from the member states. In cases of
high urgency, the member state being questioned can invoke the Swedish Framework Agreement to acquire
extra information urgently (deadlines of 8 hours or of 7 or 14 days are possible).
80
51
supplied by the member states, including possible suspects. The units connected to these
AFWs also offer analysis capacity and support in the areas of information exchange and
coordination of cross-border investigations.
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, in particular, ICT services…
Benefits
-
-
Unequivocal policy vision
-
-
-
Deterrence of perpetrators
-
Exchange of information that increases the chances of arrest
-
Development of a long-term vision
5.4.3 The role of Eurojust
Eurojust stimulates and improves the coordination and collaboration of the investigation and
prosecution between the competent authorities within the member states, in particular by
implementing international legal assistance and by simplifying the implementation of
extradition requests. Eurojust supports the competent authorities of the member states in all
possible ways with the objective of ensuring that investigations and prosecutions become
more effective when handling cross-border crime. Every country is represented within Eurojust.
This representation can take the form of public prosecutors, judges or police officers who are
familiar with the subject matter.
Upon the request of a member state, Eurojust can assist the investigation or prosecution
between a member country and a third country. This assistance can be provided if a
collaboration agreement has been concluded or if there is an essential interest that can be
52
demonstrated from the provision of this assistance. In this way they try to have the
collaboration run more smoothly.
Eurojust is authorized for the same types of crime and punishable offences for which Europol is
authorized: crimes such as terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, forgery, money
laundering, computer crime, crimes against property or public goods, including fraud and
corruption, punishable offences which affect the financial interests of the European
Community, environmental crime and participation in a criminal organization. For other types
of punishable offences, Eurojust can provide assistance in investigations and prosecutions
upon the request of a member state. In order to adequately complete the tasks for which it is
responsible, Eurojust maintains good relationships with EJN (European Judicial Network),
Europol, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the liaison magistrates.
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, in particular, ICT services…
Benefits
-
-
Deterrence of criminals
5.4.4 The role of Cepol (European Police Academy or EPA):
The mission of the European Police Academy is to create educational programmes and
training opportunities for the high-level police functionaries from the Police Departments in
Europe. The focus of all of these programmes is on cross-border crime. The activities target the
facilitation of the exchange of knowledge and best practices. The most important objective
consists of informing police officers from the different EU countries about one another's police
structures and of facilitating the cross-border collaborations among Police Departments in
Europe. In addition, it also contributes to the development of a common European law
enforcement culture.
Cepol wants to develop and promote European approaches to the main problems within the
member states in the areas of crime-fighting, crime prevention and the maintenance of the
public order. Among other things, attempts are made to elaborate a European strategy
related to the handling of the burglary phenomenon. A training programme on technical
53
preventive advice and an 'exchange programme' related to burglary prevention already
exist.
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, in particular, buildings, ICT services, transportation …
-
Development of educational materials
Benefits
-
Increase in international collaboration and knowledge of one another's working
methods
-
More unity within the EU resulting from common training programmes
-
Exchange of best practices.
5.4.5 Interpol
Interpol supports its member police organizations in preventing and combating crime.
Interpol has 190 member-countries. Interpol has four tasks, but its primary responsibility is to
facilitate the exchange of information between the Police Departments of the membercountries. The ability of the Police to quickly and safely exchange essential data is considered
to be the cornerstone of efficient, international law enforcement. It is for this purpose that
Interpol developed the I-24/7, a world-wide police communications system. Moreover,
Interpol also works to maintain and improve operational databases and data files for the
police. These databases are made available via the I-24/7. In addition, they provide
operational support 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to the police and law enforcement
services. Finally, Interpol also makes efforts in innovation, capacity expansion and research.81
The most important crime areas on which Interpol focuses are refugees, public safety and
terrorism, drugs and organized crime,. human trafficking and financial and high-tech crime.
Interpol is therefore also an important partner in the fight against itinerant perpetrator groups.
Interpol has at its disposal an AFIS system, among other things, in which fingerprints can be
compared with biometrics and reference prints supplied by other states. Furthermore, Interpol
also has a DNA database in which traces and reference profiles can be included and
compared.
The importance of international signalling
81
INTERPOL, priorities, http://www.interpol.int/About-INTERPOL/Priorities, 2014
54
Given the international character of itinerant perpetrator groups, international signalling
(Interpol, Schengen), in addition to national signalling, is an essential investigatory measure.
Hence the importance of Article 36.2 SIS II (or the “green notice” for IP) which allows for the
signalling of persons (1 year), vehicles, boats, airplanes or containers (5 years) for a discreet or
targeted check within the Schengen Area (or outside of it). This provides insight into the
movements of these persons or vehicles.82
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, in particular, buildings, travel, ICT services…
-
Operational actions
Benefits
-
-
Increasing the chance of detection
-
International databases available everywhere
-
Support for policing operations
82
55
6
Administrative component
6.1 Federal level
6.1.1 FPS Home Affairs
Burglary prevention and the securing of homes are handled within the Directorate-General
for Safety and Prevention of the FPS Home Affairs. This directorate focuses in concrete ways
on the elaboration, monitoring and evaluation of measures targeting the protection of
persons and goods against crime, social nuisance, fire and intoxication and on encouraging
the citizen to take preventive measures.
Its operations therefore specifically target the preventive handling of crime against persons
and goods, including public nuisance, and the fostering of a feeling of safety. The
Directorate-General for Safety and Prevention also has an important role to play in the
current burglary prevention policy.
In the area of burglary prevention, they make efforts, both today and with a view to the
future, in strengthening the collaboration, and they want to work toward a broadening of the
base. The fact is, its partners are not limited to other federal governmental services, but
collaborations with actors on the local, supra-local and international levels also play a key
role. Not only are governmental services part of the network, private partners are also
included. Examples of these partners include sector associations and umbrella organizations
of insurance companies, security firms, locksmiths, architects, technical support services
(WTCB, ANPI)…
A concrete initiative that was taken in this context was the organization States General
Domestic Theft in 2013. During this event, the forces of various local and national partners, as
well as those from the private sector, were joined. The goal is to achieve important results by
coordinating efforts and by reflecting together on an efficient safety policy. Therefore the
States General Domestic Theft has provided an impetus to the formation a common vision for
the purpose of reorienting the current burglary prevention policy.
Furthermore, the Directorate is aiming for an information flux and places a systematic
exchange of information high on the burglary prevention agenda. Not only with regard to
the partners but also with regard to the citizens. Structural consultation platforms and
newsletters will be provided for the partners on a regular basis. A concrete example of one of
these initiatives is the Strategic Committee for Technical Prevention for the Domestic Burglary
Prevention Consultants. This is a consultation platform that meets several times per year.
In the framework of newsletters, we can refer to the Info-flashes for Neighbourhood
Information Networks, Info-flashes for Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants, Prevue,
besafe …When it comes to the citizens, this occurs by means of communication campaigns.
56
In addition, the Directorate stimulates the strengthening of the expertise of its stakeholders.
For example, they provide support to the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants by
promoting continuing education and specialist training. Neighbourhood Information
Networks also receive methodological support. The FPS Home Affairs is responsible for
situating the Neighbourhood Information Networks (BINs) within a policy-oriented context.83
The directorate also aims to develop clear guidelines, standards and technical regulations.
The goal is to arrive at a Belgian quality label via an i3 label. The i3 brand is a guarantee of
the best quality level for the mechanical tools designed to limit domestic burglary as much as
possible and, in any case, to delay trespassers by more than 3 minutes. There is also a work
group active in this area. Within this framework and together with the Scientific and Technical
Centre for the Building Industry (Wetenschappelijk en Technisch Centrum voor het
Bouwbedrijf) (WTCB)), a standard specification with recommendations has been worked out
for exterior joinery.84
Furthermore, the Directorate aims to work as evidence-based
as possible and therefore
outsources studies to Belgian and/or foreign educational institutions. So that these studies
provide actual support to the Minister for Home Affairs' integral and integrated burglary
prevention policy, the focus is on policy-oriented studies, based on the current needs and
requirements with regard to burglary prevention. Several examples of completed studies of
domestic burglary and the integrated approach:

Final report "Lokaal integraal veiligheidsbeleid: onderzoek naar een geïntegreerde
aanpak" [Local integral safety policy: Study of an integrated approach] VUB/UGentPromoters ENHUS E., PONSAERS P., REYNAERT H. (2009)

Final report "Woninginbraken: diefstalpraktijk en preventiebeleid" [Domestic burglaries:
Theft practices and prevention policy] UGent/VUB- Promoters: ENHUS E., PONSAERS P.,
VERWEE I. (2005)
Costs
-
Various costs can be associated with the aforementioned initiatives: personnel costs
and practical costs (development of publicity materials, organization of conferences,
set-up of campaigns…).
-
The costs of outsourcing research
More information about BINs on page 65
The specification, together with more information, can be found on the project website:
www.tis-inbraak.be
83
84
57
Benefits
-
Political agenda-setting function of various initiatives, including the States General
Domestic Theft, various consultation platforms…
-
Satisfaction of the partners, in particular, the operations of the local administrations
are stimulated.
-
Positive effect on future policy concerning burglary prevention (more cohesion, more
information…)
-
Increasing the awareness and the responsibility of the citizens
6.1.2 FPS Economy
The job of the FPS Economy is to thoroughly know and adequately support the goods and
services markets in order to better stimulate them. Within this, they must also verify the quality
of certain products and also verify whether the correct standards and regulations are being
respected. They must also do this within the scope of burglary prevention equipment. In
addition, the FPS Economy, as an actor, can stimulate legislative initiatives to hinder the sale
of stolen goods. Furthermore, they can invest more in measures designed to hinder the
storage and handling of stolen goods. The storage and handling circuits are dealt with by
carrying out targeted checks.
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, administrative costs …
Benefits
-
Positive effect on future policy regarding burglary prevention, creation of a less
favourable climate for the perpetration of crimes …
-
Increased chances of returning stolen goods to their rightful owners.
-
Suppression of the storage and handling circuits for stolen goods
6.1.3 FPS Finance
FPS Finance plays an important role in the current burglary prevention policy, given that they
have an important task to fulfil within the framework of “tax exemptions for anti-burglary and
fire protection” and “fiscal deductions for securing business premises”.
A few additional words must be said about the “tax exemptions for anti-burglary and fire
protection”. In the coalition agreement of the Di Rupo government from December 2011,
58
several references were made to the fact that the tax exemptions for expenditures for
securing a home against theft or fire will be transferred to the Regions.
The sixth State Reform does, in fact, assign the authority over the fiscal benefits of securing a
home against theft or fire to the Regions. Therefore, in the future, it is the Regions that will
determine which fiscal benefits are associated with these expenditures. As long as Region
does not decide something else about this, the existing regulation remains in force.
For now, nothing will change for the expenditures made in 2014 (fiscal year 2015). The tax
exemption for the securing of a home against theft and fire is 30% of the expenditures made,
up to a maximum of € 760 per residence. The tax exemption is granted for the expenditures
(amount invoiced, including VAT) that were actually made by the taxpayer in the previous
year. The time when the work is carried out is immaterial.
Expenditures for theft prevention which entitle the taxpayer to exemptions are:

the expenditures for the delivery and installation of the following the burglaryretardant façade elements:

specific intrusion-resistant glass with a laminated side

security systems for doors, windows, shutters, garage doors, skylights,
dormer windows, cellar vents and enclosures, such as safety locks, lock
security systems, deadbolt security systems and door chains

In the case of electric garage doors equipped with motorized anti-lift
systems, only 15% of the total value of the motor is eligible for this tax
exemption as opposed to the usual 30%.

In the case of (roller) shutters equipped with motorized anti-lift systems,
only 15% of the total value of the motor is eligible for this tax exemption
as opposed to the usual 30%.


reinforced doors and gates
the expenditures for the delivery and installation of alarm systems (systems intended to
prevent or detect crimes against persons or property) and their components and for
the costs associated with the management of alarms by a licensed alarm call centre
(a centre intended to prevent or detect crimes against persons or property)

the expenditures for the delivery and installation of a camera system equipped with a
registration system
The promise of financial aid motivates many people to request advice and implement it. The
Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants can also capitalize on this by drawing the citizens'
59
attention to the possibility of financial aid. It appears that many people are not aware of this
measure. Another criticism is that a tax exemption offers too few benefits in the short-term.
The citizen does not directly see the financial benefit with a reduction in the tax payment; he
or she would rather have cash in hand.85
The graphs below clearly show that the number of people who request a tax exemption has
risen throughout the years. However, it is notable that the measure is used more often by the
owner of a residence than by renters. However, this is rather normal, since the figures point to
the fact that owners will invest more in a safe home than renters will. The tax exemption can
be taken in one of two different ways. This also depends on whether the person in question is
a renter or an owner:

3820 Tax exemption for expenditures made by the owner for securing a residence
(burglary or fire)

3830 Tax exemption for expenditures made by the renter for securing a residence
(burglary or fire)

8052 Exemption Burglary owner

8053 Exemption Burglary renter
The complete tables with all of the data can be found in Appendices 3 and 4. The exact
amount that is requested annually is also stated there. No graphs were made of this data,
however, since the maximum amount that can be refunded changes each year. For fiscal
year 2014 (income from 2013), for example, the amount was € 750, while it was only € 710 for
fiscal year 2012 (income from 2011). It is therefore impossible to compare the total amounts.
MINNEN J., Stageopdracht woninginbraakpreventie in België; een evaluatie van de
preventieve methoden. KU Leuven, faculteit rechtsgeleerdheid, academiejaar 2012-2013
85
60
Figure 17: Number of home owners who requested the tax exemption (8052)
120.000,00
100.000,00
80.000,00
60.000,00
AY 2009
AY 2010
40.000,00
AY 2011
AY 2012
20.000,00
0,00
Flanders
Wallonia
Brussels
Total
AY 2009
34.159,00
21.060,00
4.313,00
59.532,00
AY 2010
54.532
31.364
5.787
91.683
AY 2011
59.062
35.675
6.774
101.511
AY 2012
65.123
40.727
7.200
113.050
Source: FPS Finance – Statistics
Figure 18: Number of renters who requested the tax exemption (8053)
6.000
5.000
4.000
3.000
AY 2009
2.000
AY 2010
AY 2011
1.000
0
AY 2012
Flanders
Wallonia
Brussels
Total
AY 2009
1.527
965
580
3.072
AY 2010
2.089
1.362
702
4.153
AY 2011
2.235
1.434
745
4.414
AY 2012
3.198
1.597
783
5.578
61
Figure 19: Number of home owners who requested tax exemptions (3820)
120.000,00
100.000,00
80.000,00
60.000,00
40.000,00
AY
2009
20.000,00
AY
2010
0,00
Flanders
Wallonia
Brussels
Total
AY 2009
35.090,00
21.623,00
4.523,00
61.236,00
AY 2010
56.064
32.187
6.100
94.351
AY 2011
60.777
36.645
7.124
104.546
AY 2012
65.459
40.577
7.262
113.298
Figure 20: Number of renters who requested tax exemptions (3830)
7.000
6.000
5.000
4.000
3.000
AY 2009
2.000
AY 2010
AY 2011
1.000
AY 2012
0
Flanders
Wallonia
Brussels
Total
AY 2009
1.600
1.036
637
3.273
AY 2010
2.190
1.443
770
4.403
AY 2011
2.349
1.513
816
4.678
AY 2012
3.332
1.714
853
5.899
62
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs
-
The number of persons who have taken the tax exemption throughout the years
Anticipating the possibility of becoming a victim is therefore also associated with
costs.
-
The specific costs related to the tax exemption for burglary and fire protection are the
expenditures for the provision and installation of:
o
burglary-retardant façade elements (e.g., intrusion-resistant glass, security
systems for doors, windows, garage doors, dormer windows …)
o
alarm systems (The goal of these is to prevent or detect crimes against
persons/property.)
o
camera systems equipped with registration systems
Benefits
-
-
-
Increases the feeling of security
6.2 Supra-local level
6.2.1 The role of the provinces
The most important role of the Governor is his or her responsibility for maintaining the public
order and for the coordination of safety in the province. In connection with this, the Governor
organizes the provincial coordination of safety. In order to accomplish this, he or she brings
together the various actors, including actors from the Department of Justice and
representatives of the Local Police. The Governor chairs the Provincial Commission on Crime
Prevention. The mission of this commission is to analyse the crime in the province, to maintain
contacts with all involved parties and to stimulate provincial crime prevention programmes.
In the Governor's role as the coordinator of safety, he or she is the cornerstone in the fight
against burglary in each province. The Governor is supported by the District Commissioner,
who usually has crime prevention within his or her sphere of competence, and by the
63
relationship manager. One of the most important objectives of the provinces is to ensure that
provincial partners are aware of the problem of domestic burglary. Provincial Commissions
on Crime Prevention and specific consultation platforms play important roles in achieving the
province-specific targets. Within the province, the Governor uses all existing means of
communication to make the citizen more alert and to set up provincial prevention
campaigns. The dynamic of these actions is not identical in all provinces. There are also no
guidelines for the assessment of the provincial policies related to prevention.
The provinces also act as an important actor within the expansion of the scale of the
prevention. The provincial administrations have in fact a greater capacity for coordination
and in doing so create support and capacity in local administrations. Moreover, support of
the local prevention forces is important, especially at the level of the organization of
provincial round-table discussions about technical prevention and for the organization of
contact moments for the BINs within one province.
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, in particular, the organization of round-table discussions, contact
moments for the BINs, operational resources for the Provincial Commission on Crime
Prevention etc.
-
Coordination credits: Starting from 2006, each Governor receives a maximum of
50,000 euros from the Federal Government to carry out the province's competencies
regarding public order and its tasks related to the coordination of safety policy, the
prevention of crime, the collaboration among the Police Departments and among
the Police Zones, as well as those regarding the coordination of the Police
Departments in carrying out their assignments from the administrative and
organizational arms of the police.86
Benefits87
-
Political agenda-setting function
-
Satisfaction of partners, in particular in cities and municipalities…
-
Positive effect on future policy concerning burglary prevention, in particular the
stimulation of the exchange of information, better collaborations…
Koninklijk Besluit van 10 juni 2006 tot vaststelling van de toekennings- en gebruiksvoorwaarden
van de aan de provinciegouverneurs en aan de gouverneur van het bestuurlijk arrondissement
Brussel-Hoofdstad toegekende kredieten voor de coördinatie van de politiediensten en provinciale
acties inzake veiligheid en preventie, BS 10/06/2006,
86
87
Possible benefits because they have not yet been evaluated.
64
-
Linking function which results in improvements in collaborations between Domestic
Burglary Prevention Consultants, BINs, central administrations, municipalities and
cities…
-
Increasing the awareness of the citizens about domestic burglary
6.2.2 The role of the regional governments
Within the various regions, urban planing and housing departments provide the citizens with
the information they need to maintain a good quality of life (quality of the surroundings,
subsidies,...). Furthermore, various bodies (for example, the housing information centre of the
Brussels Capital Region) aim to adequately inform the public about domestic burglary.
Increasing the awareness of the citizens and, in particular, the candidate builders and
renovators about burglary prevention is of vital importance. A partnership with the
aforementioned housing and urban regional planning services is therefore also important. The
6th State Reform transferred the authority over the subsidies for securing premises against
burglary and fire to the Regions. This transfer has resulted in the end of the Federal tax
exemption for investments in burglary and fire security. The Regions themselves decide
whether to institute these regional subsidies. There are many cooperatives and associations at
the regional level that work around certain themes which at least partially include the topic
of domestic burglary; an example of one of these is the Flemish Union for Social Housing.
These partners are also involved via the Regions in the domestic burglary prevention policy.
These regional social housing corporations are supported by the implementation of
preventive and security measures. During the terrain visits, a project in Schelle was visited in
which obligatory intrusion-resistant equipment had to be included in new construction
projects. If this idea were to be circulated nationally, then this would be a task for the
Regions, given that the urban planning services and the housing departments fall under their
authority. At the first States-General on Domestic Theft, organized on 21 October 2013, the FPS
Home Affairs – Directorate-General for Safety and Prevention, the following vision text was
drafted on the subject: “The Regions shall take the steps necessary to modify the building
agreements in such a way that an obligatory Burglary Prevention Council is called at
the start of the construction of a house or an apartment building (including social
housing construction). This can also take the form of a decision by the regional
governments to appoint an obligatory Burglary Prevention Council at the time of the
sale of a residence (FC energy performance certificate for the building and
inspection of the low-voltage installation). The Prevention Council remains an advisory
body with recommendations and compensating measures. The objective is to point
out to the new owners and builders/renovators the weak points in their houses. It then
for them to decide what they do with this information.”
65
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs, in particular, awareness-raising campaigns, the support of regional
partners, the organization of information moments…
Benefits
-
-
Satisfaction of partners
-
Raising citizen awareness of domestic burglary
-
Positive effect on future policy concerning burglary prevention
6.2.3 The role of the Unions of Cities and Municipalities
In Belgium, there are three Unions for Cities and Municipalities; one each in Flanders, Brussels
and the Walloon Region. The Flemish Union is called the ‘Vereniging van Vlaamse Steden en
Gemeenten’(VVSG), the Brussels Union is called ‘L’Association de la Ville et des Communes de la
Région de Bruxelles-Capitale - Vereniging van de Stad en de Gemeenten van het Brussels
Hoofdstedelijk Gewest’ (AVCB-VSGB) and the Walloon Union is called the ‘Union des Villes et
Communes de Wallonie’ (UVCW). These are member organizations which promote the
interests of the local administrations. The goal of all three organizations is to provide
information regarding the police and the security services to the different municipalities and
police zones. One of the organizations, the VVSG, is looked at in greater detail below. The
other two organizations perform the same type of work.
Flemish Union of Cities and Municipalities
The Flemish Union of Cities and Municipalities (VVSG) is the non-profit member organization of
the local Flemish administrations. The chart below delineates the members.
66
Figure 21: The members of the VVSG
11
26
22
Municipalities
110
308
OCMW's
Police zones
association of local
authorities -inter waste
308
association of local
authorities for rural
development
Source: http://www.vvsg.be/overvvsg/Pages/VVSGkort.aspx
The central tasks of the VVSG are the provision of services to its members, the promotion of
the interests of the local administrative level and the development of a vision for the local
administration.

As a professional service-providing organization, the VVSG provides information,
advice, training and supervision to political administrators and other personnel. They
organize the exchange of knowledge and experience and will further develop into a
knowledge broker at the local administrative level.

As a professional and representative advocate of interests and as a negotiator with
other governments and institutions, the VVSG organizes the permanent dialogue with
the members as well as the consultations and the network with other organizations on
the terrain of the local administration. 88
VVSG has a specific police and safety service. Their goal, in this context, is to provide clear
and precise information regarding the police and the security services to the different
municipalities and police zones. They provide information and advice regarding citizen
participation, BINs, strategic safety and prevention plans… They also organize training
programmes related to this. Often in the past, the VVSG has devoted articles to the problem
of domestic burglary in their magazine LOKAAL.
VERENIGINGEN VAN VLAAMSE STEDEN EN GEMEENTEN, opdracht,
http://www.vvsg.be/overvvsg/Pages/opdracht.aspx 2014
88
67
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs
Benefits
-
-
Satisfaction of the partners, in particular, the representation of the municipalities and
cities. The Unions of Cities and Municipalities lobby the central administration in their
interest.
-
-
Increased awareness of municipalities and cities about the importance of domestic
burglary prevention.
6.3 Local level
6.3.1 The role of the cities and municipalities
All cities and municipalities are managed by a Mayor. The Mayor is an essential partner in
raising the awareness of all stakeholders with regard to reinforcing the safety of the citizen. As
the administrative head of the Local Police, the Mayor is responsible for the public order,
safety and the keeping of the peace in the city. The Mayor and the political representatives
are the leaders of projects and motivate their administration to work in a spirit of partnership
and participation. Whether or not active efforts are made in the area of safety prevention
depends strongly on the Mayor. It is the task of the Mayor to set the priorities and to bear final
responsibility for the safety policy. At the local level, the Mayor is the link between the
municipally integrated safety policy and the zonal policing policy. In addition, the Mayor is
responsible for the internal communication, which is an important aspect of the integral
safety policy. The Mayor promotes the institution of a Neighbourhood Information Network
(BIN) within the municipality and provides the necessary support for this.
The burglary problem can be one of the Mayor's priorities and, linked to this, also one of the
Police's priorities. The goal is to increase the awareness of the citizens regarding burglary
prevention by providing information via various channels including the services that come
into contact with the population. The services organized in the framework of the strategic
safety and prevention plan play an important role in the prevention of the feeling of safety.
The Prevention Officer and the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant (whether in the
service of the municipality or not) organize the analyses and the awareness-raising
68
campaigns that are needed. The efforts of the volunteer Prevention Advisors will be fostered
as a way of supporting the active advisors within the municipality.
Cooperation between municipalities offers the possibility of having an optimal prevention
service within each municipality without having to provide a strategic safety and prevention
plan. The Mayor guarantees this cooperation and will foster it.
The municipalities are free to provide their citizens with a burglary prevention subsidy; that is,
a municipal subsidy relating to technical preventive measures for the prevention of domestic
burglary. The municipalities that are enrolled in the Strategic Safety and Prevention Plan
(SVPP) receive an annual financial subsidy from the Federal Government 89 for a period of four
years90 (the duration of the SVPP). As a result of this, they can divert (a part of) the subsidy
allocated to them to the granting of burglary prevention subsidies. However, this subsidy is
subject to four conditions:

The subsidy is only intended for private individuals.

The city/municipality is obligated to draft a municipal regulation. This regulation
includes the awarding conditions for the safety subsidies and must be approved by
the municipal government. The municipalities themselves may determine the
percentage of the contribution and the correct awarding conditions of the relevant
subsidies, keeping in mind the maximum amount of 500 euro per subsidy.

Only the most elementary safety measures may be promoted by the subsidy. As a
result of this, the subsidy may not be awarded for the installation of alarm systems.

Only 1 subsidy per residence may be awarded.
Costs
-
Personnel, in particular, administrative personnel from the municipalities, Mayor's office
and College of Aldermen etc.
-
Practical costs, in particular, the subsidies themselves.
Benefits
-
89
Koninklijk Besluit van 9 april 2007 tot bepaling van de toekennings-, aanwendings- en
controlevoorwaarden van de financiële toelage van de steden en gemeenten die
begunstigde zijn van een strategisch veiligheids- en preventieplan, BS 7 mei 2007,
24050, Art. 1
Koninklijk Besluit van 9 april 2007 tot bepaling van de toekennings-, aanwendings- en
controlevoorwaarden van de financiële toelage van de steden en gemeenten die
begunstigde zijn van een strategisch veiligheids- en preventieplan, BS 7 mei 2007,
24050, Art. 4
90
69
-
Satisfaction of partners
-
-
Increasing the awareness of the citizens about the prevention of domestic burglary by
means of communication and the set-up of projects (see terrain visits).
6.3.2 The role of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant
The Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants have already been discussed in detail in the
section on the Local Police (p….). This section was covered there, since the vast majority of
the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants work under the auspices of the Police. This is
highlighted by the chart below.
Figure
22:
Distribution
of
Domestic
Burglary
Prevention
Consultants
expressed
in
percentages
3,7%
11,8%
Police personnel
Calog personnel
Municipality staff
84,5%
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs
Benefits
-
70
-
-
Prevents the victim from becoming professionally inactive as a result of the physical
consequences of the burglary and prevents socio-economic consequences for
society.
-
Increase in the feeling of safety in the citizens
-
The satisfaction of the citizens about the technical preventive advice they receive
can be studied in the scientific study entitled ‘Tevredenheid en effectiviteit van
technopreventief advies’ [Satisfaction and effectiveness of the technical preventive
advice] by Leen Symons.91
6.3.3 Neighbourhood Information Networks
The Neighbourhood Information Networks in Belgium are part of the integral and integrated
safety policy at the local level. During recent years, increasingly more citizens have become
aware of the fact that they can take a more active role in the context of the fight against
domestic burglary. The BINs are a manifestation of this need and have been very successful in
Flanders.92
A Neighbourhood Information Network (BIN) is a collaboration between the citizens and the
Local Police within a certain neighbourhood. The actors in the project are the citizens
(cooperation), a coordinator (supervision) and the Local Police (consultation; this is the
authorized police officer).
The objective is to increase the general perception of safety, to promote social control and
to communicate the importance of prevention.
Central to this is the exchange of information. The ultimate goal is to come to a structured
information flux in which citizens do not hesitate to contact the Police when they notice
suspicious events and in which the Police, in turn, review this information and, if necessary,
send a preventive notification to the entire neighbourhood. This results in the BINs playing an
important role in the prevention of neighbourhood-wide, repeated offences. Scientific
research has shown that there is increased risk after a first burglary; this is also called risk
contagion. Given the rapid sequence of events, it is important that the surrounding area is
Generally speaking, the citizens are satisfied with the advice, but there are few citizens
who invest in their safety or who actually follow the advice given after a visit from a
Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant.
92
VANHELLEPUTTE, D., “Buurtinformatienetwerken (BIN) als wapen in de strijd tegen
Diefstal in woningen bijdragen voor een geïntegreerde beheersing vanuit beleid, praktijk
en wetenschap, Maklu, antwerpen, 2012, p. 181
91
71
informed as quickly as possible about the possibility of continued offences in an area.
Neighbourhood Information Networks are extremely handy in realizing this communication 93.
The objectives of a BIN are94:

To increase the feeling of safety,

To strengthen the social cohesion,

To increase the awareness of the importance of crime prevention,

To prevent crime and, in the context of an integral approach to safety, to pass along
information about fire prevention and the prevention of CO poisoning, and

To bring about a collaboration between citizens and the Police in the area of
information exchange.
These objectives can be achieved by:

encouraging preventive measures,

having the citizens themselves take responsibility for the safety problems and the
exchange of information related to them and

increasing the willingness to register and report offences.
The BIN works as follows: A BIN member who notices a suspicious situation notifies the Police
by telephone. The Police assess the information received and can send a preventive
message to the BIN member, if relevant. A second possibility is that the Police Department
itself drafts a preventive message in response to a new criminal phenomenon or to a wave of
burglaries that is occurring in the area. By means of the communication systems used and the
BIN operation, citizens are immediately informed on a large scale of possible suspicious
situations and of the need for increased vigilance and the taking of preventive measures. 95
On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the existence of BINs in Belgium, the DirectorateGeneral for Safety and Prevention organized a survey in 2013. The survey showed that in 55%
of the cases a BIN was established on the initiative of the citizens themselves, in 6% of the
94
95
93
72
cases, the BIN was a joint project of the Police and the citizens and in 15% of the cases, the
Police and the local government were the driving force behind the BIN. In the other cases, it
was a motivated citizen or an independent organization who promoted the establishment of
the BIN. The coordinators and the Police Chiefs cite a high feeling of safety among the
population and a high crime rate as the most important reasons for establishing BINs (see
chart). According to a majority of the Police Chiefs, the BINS contribute to a greater feeling of
safety. In addition, they increase the social cohesion and the awareness of the citizens about
the importance of crime prevention measures. Furthermore, the Police Chiefs indicate that
the BINs are an important link in the prevention of crime and that they contribute to a
structured exchange of information between the citizens and the Police.
Figure 23: Reasons for establishing a BIN
feelings of insecurity
Criminality
24%
37%
Incident
11%
other
10%
18%
feelings of insecurity +
criminality
According to the survey, the BINs are mainly warned of thefts, suspicious actions, disturbing
disappearances and counterfeit currency/exchange tricks. To a lesser extent, they are also
warned about fire and public nuisances. Furthermore, communication occasionally occurs
between the coordinators and the BIN members, but this varies province by province. The
communication by the BIN member with the Police occurs only occasionally. In Flanders, the
members want to be informed in connection with the follow-up of cases in which the BIN was
involved.
Numerical data: In Belgium, there were approximately 612 BINs active in January 2014.
Approximately 100 of these 612 BINs are BIN-Zs96. However, there distribution throughout
96
BIN-self-employed
73
Belgium is rather disproportional. Figure … shows the distribution among the Regions. Flanders
is home to the largest share of BINs with 563 in total. While The Walloon Region and the
Brussels Capital Region have only 38 and 1 BIN(s), respectively. However, slow change can be
seen. By June of 2014, 8 new BINs had already been started up in The Walloon Region, while
up until the end of 2013, there were only 36 active Walloon BINs. One of the reasons for this
can be found in the name change. Originally, the name of the BINs in the Walloon Region
was translated to ‘Réseau d’Information de Quartier’ and abbreviated RIQ. This name,
however, was mainly associated with turning in your neighbours and not with the mutual
solidarity between neighbours who help each other to create a safe neighbourhood. The
change in the name of the Walloon Neighbourhood Information Networks to 'Partenariat
Local de Prévention (PLP)' in 2010 was meant to refresh the Wallooon BINs97. Another
explanation is that a stronger social cohesion already exists in the Walloon Region than does
in Flanders. In Flanders, the BINs fulfil this need, but in the Walloon Region, this need is not so
great. In fact, this explanation was investigated in a study performed by the ULB (Université
libre de Bruxelles) in 2004. It is not entirely clear whether this is still the case in 2014. The
numerical data cited above shows that the Walloon BINs are catching up. In fact, there is
some discussion that says that it was not the good social cohesion that originally stood in the
way of this movement but the individual character of the Walloons that was the obstacle.
Figure 24: 612 BINs in Belgium
Brusselscapital
region; 1
Wallonia; 38
Flanders
Brussels-capital
region
Flanders; 563
Wallonia
Source: FPS Home Affairs – General Service for Safety and Prevention Distribution of BINs in
Belgium (on 31/01/2014)98
98
A great many changes are currently taking place in the BIN landscape; therefore these
figures are not absolute. They are an approximation on 1/01/2014
97
74
The fact that there is more interest in this policy instrument in Flanders is noteworthy. Within
Flanders their is also a great difference between the Provinces (see Figure …). The Province of
Antwerp accounts for more than half of all of the BINs in Flanders. It is not clear why they are
distributed so disproportionately. On the other hand, this can be at least partially explained
by the ‘oil slick effect’. The chance that the establishment of a BIN will be considered in the
event of a wave of burglaries is greater if a BIN is already established in the neighbouring
municipality than if few or no BINs exists in the immediate surroundings.99 In addition to that,
the Province of Antwerp invests in overarching provincial support for BINs. They have
purchased and made available a provincial communication system, which makes
establishing a new BIN easier for the various partners in local government, CICANT, the Local
Police and interested citizens. In other provinces, the Police Zones themselves must pay for
the costs of the communication. This can be a hindrance to starting up new BINs.
Figure 25: 563 BINs in Flanders
350
303
300
250
186
200
150
100
59
50
12
3
Flamish
Brabant
Limburg
0
Antwerp
East Flanders West Flanders
Source: FPS Home Affairs – General Service for Safety and Prevention Distribution of BINs in
Belgium (on 31/01/2014) 100
It could well be that the differences between the Provinces will be eliminated in the future.
The fact is that there is a great deal of movement in the area of BINs. In 2013, 89 BINs were
added; this is 14.5% of the total number of BINs. When the figures from 2012 (34 new BINs) are
included, this figure rises to 20% of the total BINs. In other words, twenty percent of the BINs
100
A great many changes are currently taking place in the BIN landscape; therefore these
figures are not absolute. They are an approximation on 1/01/2014
99
75
have been started up in the last two years. The increasing interest in BINs has continued in
recent months. This can be explained by the fact that the Minister for Home Affairs, and more
specifically the General Service for Safety and Prevention, has been promoting the BINs for a
number of years now. Standard documents for the start-up of a BIN are provided, and other
types of information are also available via the website. In addition, questions from citizens,
Police Zones and municipalities who want to launch BINs are also answered as quickly as
possible by telephone and electronically. And, finally, BINs have been promoted numerous
times in campaigns for familiarizing citizens and business people about this policy instrument.
BINs have also been regularly included in the campaigns for the prevention of burglaries and
robberies.101
During the terrain visits, two BINs were visited.
Costs
-
Personnel
-
Practical costs102:
These refer to both the basic costs and to supplemental costs (including investments in
a periodical, a website and neighbourhood activities).
The budget that the BIN obtains differs according to local needs. Given that the
independence and the voluntary nature of the BIN must always be a central feature,
the costs of the BIN (for the most part) lie rather more with the local government than
with private sponsors.
Benefits
-
the settlement of material damages and on the medical and psychological recovery,
the emotional impact and the incapacity for work.
-
-
Increases the expertise of the coordinator and the members of the BINs.
Answer to Parliamentary question no. 5-10707 from 20 December 2013 from Mr Karl
Vanlouwe (N), Senator
102
ALGEMENE DIENST VOOR VEILIGHEID EN PREVENTIE, financial,
https://www.besafe.be/nl/bin/financieel, 2014
101
76
-
The results of the survey in 2013 show that the Neighbourhood Information Networks
can play an important role in the framework of the approach to the feeling of
insecurity and crime prevention.
-
According to Hulshof and Flight, the presence alone of a BIN in a neighbourhood
could account for 80% less nuisance on the street and for 13% fewer crimes being
reported. 103
6.4 International level
6.4.1 The role of the European Crime Prevention Network
The EUCPN (European Crime Prevention Network) is an informal network established in May
2001 on the basis of a Council Decision (from the EU) for the advancement of the prevention
of crime in the EU member states. The network is a primary source of development of crime
prevention and good practices within the EU.
The EUCPN has the following objectives:

To identify good practices in crime prevention and to exchange knowledge and
experience among the member states;

To collect and evaluate information about activities in the area of crime prevention;

To improve the exchange of ideas and information within the network;

To promote contacts and cooperation between member states;

To contribute to the development of local and regional prevention strategies and

To promote crime prevention by organizing meetings, seminars and conferences. 104
All member states have drafted national strategies related to crime prevention. These
strategies have been distributed via the EUCPN website. In addition, semi-annual monitoring
reports are also published by the EUCPN Secretary. These reports contain an overview of the
existing data and trends related to crime and crime prevention in the EU. This monitoring
report always focuses on one specific theme.105 The specific Belgian prevention strategies
regarding domestic burglaries are based on the following106:
-
Strategic Safety and Prevention Plan
HULSHOF, P., and FLIGHT, S., Veiligheid in de Amsterdamse Transvaalbuurt. Inzet van
particuliere straat: werkt dat nou?, Security Management, 2012, 18-21
104
EUROPEAN CRIME PREVENTION NETWORK, about us,
http://www.eucpn.org/mshome/about.asp?mslang=15, 2014
105
Domestic Burglary is discussed in the 1st and 3rd monitoring report. However, it is not
the main theme of these editions.
106
EUROPEAN CRIME PREVENTION NETWORK, strategies,
http://www.eucpn.org/strategies/index.asp, 2014
103
77
Domestic burglary is one of the points of particular interest within this plan. The
General Service for Safety and Prevention provides methodological as well as
financial support to the local authorities.
-
Coordination of specific action plans
This refers primarily to the prevention of domestic burglary. Central to this is the
cooperation
between the public as well as the private partners and actors.
-
Secure Home
The provision of free advice to citizens with regard to the optimization of the safety of
their homes. This can come from the Police as well as from those who have been
specifically trained to provide this type of advice (e.g., Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultants).
The European Crime Prevention Network strives to be a reference point for the target groups
of the network (i.e., primarily national and local policy makers and individuals and
organizations in the field). The EUCPN is responsible for the dissemination of high-quality
knowledge related to crime prevention. They also support crime prevention activities at the
national and local levels. Furthermore, the Network aims to contribute to an EU crime
prevention policy and strategy in which the strategic priorities of the EU are taken into
account.
The driving force behind the European Crime Prevention Network is the EUCPN Secretary. The
EUCPN Secretary can play an important role in the area of burglary prevention at the
international level.
Costs
-
Personnel, in particular, that of the permanent Secretary but also that of the 28
national representatives, and their potential replacements, who must devote part of
their time to EUCPN matters.
-
Practical costs, in particular, operating resources for the Secretary, for organizing at
least one board meeting per EU presidency, for annual conferences etc.
Benefits
-
The exchange of approaches, research and good practices relating to crime
prevention, including burglary prevention, among the 28 EU member states.
-
The exchange of information and good practices should have a long-term positive
effect on future policy related to burglary prevention throughout all of the EU
countries.
78
-
Existing and active overarching network among the EU member states in which direct
contact and exchange of information is possible.
7
Private partners
7.1 Insurance sector
Insurance companies are almost always involved after a break-in or attempted burglary.
They are responsible in many cases for the compensation of the damages reported by the
citizen. The graph below shows how many damage claims due to theft, vandalism and
malicious acts are submitted per year to the insurers. The insurance companies also benefit
when citizens assume a positive attitude toward prevention. A collaboration between the
government and the insurance companies in the area of the communication message to the
citizens can contribute to an increase in the degree of security of the residences. Besides this,
the function of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultant can be made even more wellknown by the insurance companies.
An important aside here is that a theft insurance policy is a separate insurance policy. In
other words, this policy is only a limited part of the comprehensive insurance portfolio (= fire
insurance). Relatively few citizens purchase this extra insurance. The premium for this
insurance is usually calculated based on the number of items to be insured. Only under
special circumstances is an expert sent to make an individual assessment (for example, in the
case of valuable paintings). In addition, it also appears that reductions in the premium based
on safety measures taken by the residents (for example, for installing an alarm) are
insignificant (e.g., 5% of €60 = €3 reduction). The reason for this is that the insurance
companies do not have the resources to consistently verify the presence of the safety
measures.107
7.1.1 Assuralia
Assuralia is the Professional Association for Insurance Companies and represents virtually all
Belgian and foreign insurance companies that are active on the Belgian market.
Assuralia refrains from interfering in any way with the management or with the individual
organization of its members or in their relationships with the insurance, and/or the reinsurance
intermediaries and with the public. The task of Assuralia is to promote the professional interests
of the insurance companies.
107
These figures were received from Assuralia on 25/04/2013.
79
Assuralia also produces an overview every year of the various insurance trends and damages
claims. One of these is the theft claims. Due to the recent increase in the number of domestic
burglaries, there has been a clear increase in the number of damages claims from theft,
vandalism and malicious acts. Figure … shows this trend clearly. This evolution is also leading
to more disbursements by the insurers. In 2011, the ‘damages after domestic theft or
vandalism’ disbursements exceeded the 100 million euro mark. (Table… shows the average
cost per claim.)108
Table 2: Average cost per claim (in euro)
Average cost per claim (in euro)
2010
2011
2012
3339
3333
3414
Source: Annual reports Assuralia (2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013)
Figure 26: Number of claims from theft, vandalism and malicious acts
35000
30000
30169
27649
25000
25685
20000
23050
23741
2008
2009
15000
10000
5000
0
2010
2011
2012
Source: Annual reports Assuralia (2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014)
7.1.2 National Organization for theft- and fire-fighting
Upon the initiative of the Belgian insurance companies, a National Organization for theft- and
fire-fighting (ANPI) has been established. In addition to the insurers, the members of ANPI
include all industrial federations, professional associations and the Federal Government. ANPI
108
ASSURALIA, Annual reports, 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013
80
must continue its efforts in its mainstays, including regulations and standardization,
information, certification, laboratories and inspections.
Costs
-
For insurance companies:
o
Personnel costs, in particular, administrative services but also experts and
inspectors
-
o
Practical costs, in particular, ICT services
o
Reimbursement of stolen goods
For clients/citizens:
o
Payment of monthly or yearly insurance premium
Benefits
-
-
For insurance companies:
o
The goal of the ANPI cooperation is to reduce the number of thefts.
o
Reduction in thefts = fewer reimbursements for stolen goods
For clients/citizens:
o
Reimbursement of stolen goods
o
Increased feeling of security because client knows that a theft will not have
serious financial consequences.
7.2 Architects
Architects are involved at the outset in the design of houses, buildings and even of larger
sites. However, an architect designs primarily from a structural, functional and aesthetic point
of view.
Currently, few architects pay attention to integrating burglary safety into the
concept and design of a home or site. Yet, an architect can greatly improve burglaryresistance by means of the construction of the building and the use of the right materials. So,
awareness begins as early as the design. During the terrain visit of the “architechno” project
in Liège, an example was given of a collaboration between the Police and the university in
which future architects were given lessons in technical preventive measures. The objective
here is to make future architects more aware of the intrusion-resistant measures. In fact, it is
much easier to build these technical preventive measures into a new construction than it is to
have to add them later. When architects are informed, they can then always propose these
measures to their clients. In this way, they contribute to increasing the awareness of the
citizens and to the safety of new construction projects.
Seen more broadly, an architect can also play a role in the design of new or in the
improvement of existing sites within the “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design”
81
principle (CPTED), whereby crime and a lack of security can be approached via
environmental measures.
It could be a challenge, during the design of large sites, for example, social housing projects
or new public spaces, to gather together the essential public and private partners so that
they can contribute, each from their own specific knowledge and expertise, to the creation
of a safer and more liveable site. In addition to architects, construction companies, real
estate agents and housing corporations can all be involved. Currently, however, this principle
is still not applied frequently enough. Yet, there are already several good practices into which
CPTED has been integrated. For example, in Antwerp, the CPTED principle was used in the
design of a new landscape park. The site was an old and decrepit railroad terrain that was
transformed into a contemporary, sustainable and expansive urban landscape park with
accents of green, light, space, relaxation, culture and sport laid out on the old Antwerp
Noord rail depot. Given that the ultimate objective of the Spoor Noord terrain is to upgrade
the value of the Dam, Stuivenberg and Seefhoek districts, the arrival of the new park has
helped to determine the speed and nature of the upgrade to a significant extent, and the
park has brought about an improvement in the quality of life of the various districts in this
area. Because Park Spoor Noord aims to be more than simply a green area, the municipal
administration decided to draft a management plan for it. The main objective of this
management plan is to encourage as great and diverse use of the park as possible with as
few nuisance and safety problems as possible. The most important players in this project are
the City of Antwerp, the NMBS (National Railway Company of Belgium) and the Federal
Government (Stad Antwerpen, 2012, n.d.). Another example is in La Louvière. There, a project
linked to CPTED has been elaborated. The project was developed within the city's Strategic
Safety and Prevention Plans. These projects have been developed around the focal point of
urban renewal targeting prevention. Several squares and streets have been renovated, and
activities have been organized for the youth.
Costs
-
Extra training, in particular, lesson materials, teachers…
-
Reworking of and/or adaptations to existing sites within the CPTED model.
Benefits
-
Increased attention by architects for preventive measures
-
82
-
7.3 Academic world
A burglary prevention policy is not effective when it is based on assumptions or on
“probabilities” that are not supported by sufficient knowledge. A policy with vision must be
worked toward by creating a beneficial relationship between various dimensions. The task of
the academic world is therefore to deliver and to stimulate policy-supporting research. The
fact is, a thorough burglary prevention policy needs up-to-date, varied and relevant
knowledge.
It is in the interest of the policy to evaluate practices and to only allow those practices and
projects which have passed a scientific test of their effectiveness. Therefore, there is a need
for evaluation research for the purpose of specifically verifying which measures actually work.
Given that domestic burglaries are such an important societal problem, the current role of
the scientific world is to invest in publications, consultation opportunities and the organization
of supra-local forums in the form of a colloquium or workshops. By doing so, various objectives
are met. First and foremost, a state of the affairs of the knowledge in the area of burglary is
provided; in addition, effective practical projects are proposed and inspiring policy
implementation is pushed to the fore.
In the context of future actions, it is very important that the scientific world investigates what
the concrete needs are in the area of knowledge. Academics must involve practical and
administrative actors to a greater degree. This means that the practical and the
administrative aspects must be given the chance to be active parts of the formulation of the
problem to be investigated. These actors should also be involved when important decisions
must be taken within a research project.
They should also be given the opportunity to
contribute ideas about putting the formulations of the problems into practice in the form of
concrete research questions etc. FPS Home Affairs regularly outsources research to domestic
and/or foreign research institutions.
Costs
-
Personnel costs, in particular, researchers and administrative services
Benefits
83
-
Improved knowledge and interpretation of domestic burglaries and trespassers
-
Policy-supporting research
-
Collaboration between knowledge centre and practice
7.4 Citizens
The citizen usually underestimates his role in theft prevention policies. However, citizens
definitely have a role to play. The emancipation of the citizens is therefore essential.
Prevention is useless if the citizens do not apply the advice they are given (locking the doors,
not leaving the key under the mat …) or if they do not make a minimum of investment (solid
door). Efforts must be made to make the citizens more responsible. In order to achieve this,
the citizen must feel involved. This is a very ambitious project, because not only must the
victims of burglary be involved, the entire population must be involved.
The establishment of a BIN is a very interesting initiative (discussed above) for involving
citizens. In particular, it ensures that the citizens are more watchful and that there is better
communication with the police. This results in more rapid reporting of suspicious activities. With
a view to success, the friendliness and the approachability between neighbours also plays an
important role, leading to increased vigilance. The social cohesion among the citizens is
important to all of this.109 It is a bottom-up movement, but it can also be stimulated by the
government. In Belgium, on 11 December 2014, the ‘ééndagniet’ [one day without]
campaign was organized for the first time. This project was set up for the first time by the
citizens in The Netherlands but is now promoted by the government there. This will also be
tried in Belgium. In addition, the DNA (Deprived Neighbourhood Approach) terrain visits in
Kortrijk and Antwerp also demonstrate how to foster and/or strengthen social cohesion in
deprived neighbourhoods.
In this way, the citizen is increasingly considered to be a partner by the local authorities,
which makes it possible to react quickly to crime. The rapid transfer of information is essential
for increasing the awareness of the citizens and for recommending fitting preventive
measures. It has already been found that the rapid reaction of a vigilant citizen allows for
entire gangs to be apprehended. Within this context, various means of communication can
be used, such as social media, mouth-to-mouth publicity (via the neighbourhood, social
circles, family…), information sessions in cooperation with the Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultants etc.
DIENST GEORGANISEERDE DIEFSTALLEN EN KUNST, “Naar een effectieve en
efficiënte aanpak van woninginbraken gepleegd door rondtrekkende dadergroepen”, Het
109
84
Belgium has at its disposal an extensive network of Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants
who can provide customized advice in function of the threat and the financial capabilities of
the citizens. As already discussed on page …, this can primarily take the form of practical tips.
Increasing the citizens' awareness of and familiarity with these services is extremely important
in increasing the responsibility they are willing to take.
Costs
Personnel costs, in particular, Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants, district police
-
officers, and authorized BIN workers to stimulate the citizens
-
Practical costs, in particular, publicity materials
Benefits
-
-
7.5 Public-private collaborations
On the terrain, we see an increasing interest in the collaborations between the Police
Departments and the private security firms. These types of collaborations are already in place
in FIPA (Full Integrated Police Actions) campaigns.
Private security firms possess a great deal of know-how and expertise in the security domain.
A collaboration on the basis of complementary competencies can yield a good many
benefits. The ‘Cash Converter’ terrain visit in Mons clearly highlights all that a public-private
collaboration can achieve.
Costs
-
Personnel costs
-
Costs of joint training
-
Costs of technology
85
-
…
Benefits
-
The joint contribution to an increased feeling of safety for the individual citizen,
companies and communities, which advances the confidence in and the image of
the actors involved;
-
The advancement of a collective awareness of what is happening and what is
important within the areas in which we work;
-
The creation of a synergy by means of linking up complementary expertise and
talents;
-
The creation of a learning network by means of sharing knowledge and experiences
in the approach to safety;
-
Recognition of the security agents as fully fledged partners within an integrated
approach;
With financial support from the Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme of the European Union
European Commission – Directorate-General Home Affairs
Legal notice
The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of any EU Member
State or any agency or institution of the European Union or European Communities.
86
8
Appendices
Appendix 1
In 2011 a survey of the Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants was conducted by the FPS
Home Affairs. The table below shows the total number of Domestic Burglary Prevention
Consultants in 2011 per Province. Next to the total are the actual numbers of completed and
missing surveys. A total of 125 of the 508 Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants completed
the survey. The results of the survey are therefore not representative, but we can deduce
some general trends from the results.
Provinces
Total Completed Missing
Antwerp
49
10
39
Limburg
24
9
15
Flemish Brabant
59
7
52
East Flanders
61
19
42
West Flanders
51
27
24
Hainaut
94
20
74
Liège
45
18
27
Namur
22
3
19
Luxembourg
28
1
27
Walloon Brabant
30
1
29
Brussels
45
9
36
TOTAL
508
125
383
87
Appendix 2: The complete list of Domestic Burglary Prevention Consultants per Province and
per Police Zone
Province of Antwerp
Police Zone
5345
5368
5352
5366
5350
5349
5367
5356
5360
5358
5351
5369
5348
5363
5364
5347
5353
5355
5354
5365
5346
5357
5359
5361
5362
PZ ANTWERPEN
PZ Balen/Dessel/Mol
PZ BRASSCHAAT
PZ GEEL/LAAKDAL/MEERHOUT
PZ GRENS
PZ HEKLA
PZ KEMPEN N-O
PZ KLEIN-BRABANT
PZ LIER
PZ MECHELEN
PZ MINOS
PZ NETELAND
PZ NOORD
PZ NOORDERKEMPEN
PZ REGIO TURNHOUT
PZ RUPEL
PZ SCHOTEN
PZ VOORKEMPEN
PZ ZARA
PZ ZUIDERKEMPEN
PZ ZWIJNDRECHT
PZ Willeboek
PZ Bodukap
PZ Berlaar -Nijlen
PZ Heist
Persons not associated with a Police Zone
Total DPAs
Number of
DPAs
16
4
2
1
4
1
4
4
7
1
2
3
1
1
5
2
1
4
3
1
2
2
5
3
4
3
86
88
Province of Limburg
Police Zone
5374
5371
5386/5387
5370
5372
5373
5375
5376
5377
5378
5379
5380
5381
5382
5383
5384
5385
5386
5387
Number
of DPAs
PZ West-Limburg
PZ LOMMEL
PZ LANAKEN-MAASMECHELEN
PZ Hazodi
PZ HANO
PZ Beringen/Ham/Tessenderlo
PZ Heusden-Zolder
PZ Sint-Truiden - Gingelom - Nieuwerkerken
Kempenland
PZ Houthalen - Helchteren
PZ Kanton Borgloon
PZ Tongeren - Herstappe
PZ Bilzen - Hoeselt - Riemst
PZ Voeren
PZ Maasland
PZ GAOZ
PZ Noordoost Limburg
PZ Lanaken
PZ Maasmechelen
2
1
1
Total DPAs
2
4
1
2
3
1
5
4
1
2
1
30
89
Province of West Flanders
Police Zone
5462
5445
5446
5444
5458
5455
5447
5452
5457
5460
5448
5456
5461
5449
5450
5451
5453
5454
5459
PZ ARRO IEPER
PZ BLANKENBERGE-ZUIENKERKE
PZ DAMME/KNOKKE-HEIST
PZ BRUGGE
PZ GAVERS
PZ GRENSLEIE
HET HOUTSCHE
PZ KOUTER
PZ MIRA
PZ POLDER
PZ REGIO TIELT
PZ VLAS
PZ WESTKUST
Number of
DPAs
8
2
3
2
2
2
7
2
5
1
1
6
4
PZ Oostende
PZ Bredene/De Haan
PZ Middelkerke
PZ RIHO
PZ MIDOW
PZ Spoorkin
1
1
4
5
1
0
Total DPAs
57
90
Province of East Flanders
Police Zone
5440
5423
5421
5436
5430
5426
5420
5439
5441
5415
5428
5435
5433
5434
5422
5424
5417
5416
5418
5427
5419
5425
5438
5429
5431
5432
5437
5442
5443
PZ AALST
PZ AALTER/KNESSELARE
PZ ASSENEDE/EVERGEM
PZ BERLARE-ZELE
PZ BEVEREN
PZ BRAKEL
PZ DEINZE-ZULTE
PZ DENDERLEEUW/HAALTERT
PZ ERPE-MERE/LEDE
PZ GENT
PZ GERAARDSBERGEN/LIERDE
PZ HAMME-WAASMUNSTER
PZ Kruibeke-Temse
PZ LOKEREN
PZ LOWAZONE
PZ MALDEGEM
PZ MEETJESLAND CENTRUM
PZ REGIO PUYENBROECK
PZ REGIO RHODE & SCHELDE
PZ RONSE
PZ SCHELDE-LEIE
PZ VLAAMSE ARDENNEN
PZ WETTEREN/LAARNE/WICHELEN
PZ ZOTTEGEM/HERZELE/ST-L-HOUTEM
PZ Sint-Gillis-Waas/Stekene
PZ Sint-Niklaas
PZ Buggenhout/Lebbeke
PZ Ninove
PZ Dendermonde
Total DPAs
Number of
DPAs
4
4
2
1
1
3
5
2
1
5
3
3
3
4
5
1
2
3
2
1
1
2
3
7
1
1
70
91
Province of Flemish Brabant
Police Zone
5404
5395
5397
5413
5393
5388
5412
5405
5414
5407
5411
5389
5390
5391
5392
5394
5396
5398
5399
5400
5401
5402
5403
5406
5408
5409
5410
PZ BEERSEL
PZ BOORTMEERBEEK-HAACHT-KEERBERGEN
PZ DIJLELAND
PZ HALLE
PZ HERKO
PZ LEUVEN
PZ KASTZE
PZ PAJOTTENLAND
PZ Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
PZ TARL
PZ Vilvoorde-Machelen
PZ Hageland
PZ LAN
PZ Bierbeek/Boutersem/Holsbeek/Lubbeek
PZ Tienen -Hoegaarden
PZ Aarschot
PZ Demerdal DSZ
PZ Tervuren
PZ BRT
PZ Zaventem
PZ WOKRA
PZ Druivenstreek
Zone Rode/Zone Rhode
PZ Dilbeek
PZ AMOW
PZ K-L-M
PZ Grimbergen
Total DPAs
Number
of DPAs
5
3
2
1
3
2
1
5
3
2
1
3
2
3
16
6
2
4
2
2
68
92
Province of Walloon Brabant
Police Zone
5272
5273
5269
5267
5276
5275
5268
5270
5271
5274
ZP ARDENNES BRANBANCONNES 5272
ZP Braine-l'Alleud
ZP La Mazerine
ZP Genappe/Nivelles
ZP Jodoigne
ZP Ottignies- LLN
Zone Ouest Brabant Wallon
Zone Orne-Thyle
Police Locale Wavre
Police Locale de Waterloo
Total DPAs
Number of
DPAs
5
2
2
14
5
5
1
3
1
4
0
42
Province of Namur
Police Zone
5314
5309
5305
5303
5304
5306
5307
5308
5310
5311
5312
5313
5315
PZ Concroz - Famenne
ZP Flowal
ZP DES ARCHES
PZ Namur
PZ Orneau - Mehaigne
PZ entre Sambre et Meuse
PZ Samson
PZ Jemeppe/Sambre
PZ Houille - Semois
PZ Des 3 vallées
PZ Haute-Messe
PZ Lesse et l'homme
PZ Hermeton et Heure
Total DPAs
Number of
DPAs
2
4
4
3
5
8
1
1
1
2
2
3
2
0
38
93
Province of Luxembourg
Police Zone
5298
5297
5299
5300
5301
5302
ZP Sud Luxembourg
ZP Arlon-Attert-Habbay-Martalange
PZ de gaume
PZ Famenne-Ardenne
PZ Centre Ardenne
PZ Semois et Lesse
Total DPAs
Number of
DPAs
2
5
4
19
9
3
0
42
Province of Liège
Police Zone
5277
5289
5288
5283
5278
5279
5280
5281
5282
5284
5285
5286
5287
5290
5291
5292
5293
5294
5295
5296
ZP Liège
ZP Vesdre
ZP Pays de herve
ZP SECOVA
Police de seraing- Neupre
PZ Herstal
PZ Beyne - Fleron - Soumagne
PZ Basse Meuse
PZ Flemalle
PZ Ans -Saint Nicolas
PZ Awans-Grâce-Hollogne
PZ Hesbaye
PZ Fagnes
PZ Stavelot - Malmedy
PZ Eifel (German)
PZ Weser-Göhl (German)
Hesbaye Ouest
Zone Meuse - Hesbaye
PZ Huy
PZ Du Condroz
Number of
DPAs
10
3
3
7
2
1
1
3
3
5
1
1
2
3
2
3
1
7
1
1
94
0
Total DPAs
60
Province of Hainaut
Police Zone
5317
5324
5338
5321
5316
5318
5319
5320
5322
5323
5325
5326
5327
5328
5329
5330
5331
5332
5333
5334
5335
5336
5337
ZP Mouscron
ZP MONS-QUEVY
ZP Germinalt
ZP Bernissart-Péruwelz
PZ du Tournaisis
PZ Comines - Warneton
PZ Beloeil/Leuze Ht
PZ Zone du val de l'excaut
Police Locale Ville d'ath
PZ Des collines
PZ La louvière
PZ De sylle et Dendre
PZ Boraine
PZ Haut Senne
PZ Des Hauts-Pays
PZ Charleroi
PZ Aiseau - Presles/Châtelet.Farciennes
PZ Anderlues/Binche
PZ Lermes
PZ Botte du hainaut
Police Locale Mariemont
PZ Des Trieux
PZ Brunau
Number of
DPAs
1
3
9
5
4
2
1
2
2
2
3
4
3
1
2
40
6
2
1
2
2
7
3
8
Total DPAs
115
Brussels Capital
Police Zone
Number
of DPAs
95
5340
5339
5341
5342
5343
5344
ZP Bruxelles Ouest/ PZ Brussel West
Brussel Hoofdstad Elsene / Bruxelle Capital ixelles
Zone Midi
PZ Ukkel/W-B/ Oudergem
Zone Montgomery
Schaarbeek - St. Joost Evere
2
34
5
7
18
Total DPAs
72
6
96
Appendix 3: 3820 Tax exemption for expenditures for the safety of a residence by the owner (burglary or fire); 3830
Tax
exemption for expenditures for the safety of a residence by the renter (burglary or fire)
Actual amount
awarded
Burglary owner
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
Partner
4,148,925.05 1,242,758.75
2,541,370.73
653,679.35
638,767.05
143,412.01
7,329,062.83 2,039,850.11
FY 2010
Taxpayer
Partner
15,919,459.61 5,468,752.40
8,504,695.34 2,505,819.93
1,937,140.69 427,831.07
26,361,295.64 8,402,403.40
FY 2011
Taxpayer
Partner
16,438,938.03 5,729,437.40
9,388,786.77 2,759,227.45
2,257,302.86 500,405.19
28,085,027.66 8,989,070.04
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
18,877,586.61 6,646,159.63
10,582,975.96 3,594,601.00
2,384,487.03
558,360.67
31,845,049.60 10,799,121.30
Number of cases
Burglary owner
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
34,159.00
21,060.00
4,313.00
59,532.00
Partner
14,609.00
7,922.00
1,360.00
23,891.00
FY 2010
Taxpayer
Partner
54,532
25,138
31,364
12,742
5,787
1,903
91,683
39,783
FY 2011
Taxpayer
Partner
59,062
27,691
35,675
14,728
6,774
2,269
101,511
44,688
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
65,123
41,819
40,727
24,958
7,200
3,478
113,050
70,255
Actual amount
awarded
Burglary renter
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
180,249.59
114,889.51
70,789.09
365,928.19
Partner
29,124.61
16,717.05
8,820.52
54,662.18
FY 2010
Taxpayer
410,710.46
265,408.96
127,430.34
803,549.76
FY 2011
Taxpayer
450,098.37
286,953.16
148,095.73
885,147.26
Partner
80,457.96
50,422.20
22,175.27
153,055.43
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
4,148,925.05 1,242,758.75
2,541,370.73
653,679.35
638,767.05
143,412.01
7,329,062.83 2,039,850.11
Number of cases
Burglary renter
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
1,527
965
580
3,072
Partner
555
306
162
1,023
FY 2010
Taxpayer
Partner
2,089
749
1,362
462
702
217
4,153
1,428
FY 2011
Taxpayer
Partner
2,235
815
1,434
477
745
233
4,414
1,525
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
3,198
1,399
1,597
593
783
277
97
5,578
2,269
Partner
73,453.38
45,230.74
20,573.48
139,257.60
Appendix 4: 8052 Exemption Burglary owner; 8053 Exemption Burglary renter
Amount requested
Burglary owner
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
Partner
4,302,066.58 1,390,077.07
2,653,548.34 714,293.19
681,411.59 159,615.57
7,637,026.51 2,263,985.83
FY 2010
Taxpayer
Partner
16,499,982.09 6,163,673.71
8,833,935.41 2,759,533.27
2,081,114.20 488,221.27
27,415,031.70 9,411,428.25
FY 2011
Taxpayer
Partner
17,048,731.60 6,443,616.25
9,801,926.57 3,043,501.69
2,426,536.71
565,465.28
29,277,194.88 10,052,583.22
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
19,512,977.48 7,359,291.41
11,414,302.34 3,536,544.72
2,591,608.52
586,924.31
33,518,888.34 11,482,760.44
Number of cases
Burglary owner
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
Partner
35,090.00
16,141.00
21,623.00
8,574.00
4,523.00
1,499.00
61,236.00
26,214.00
FY 2010
Taxpayer
Partner
56,064
27,548
32,187
13,676
6,100
2,077
94,351
43,301
FY 2011
Taxpayer
Partner
60,777
30,258
36,645
15,674
7,124
2,429
104,546
48,361
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
65,459
33,156
40,577
17,485
7,262
2,471
113,298
53,112
Amount requested
Burglary renter
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
Partner
224,631.57
0.00
147,057.18
0.00
88,242.10
0.00
459,930.85
0.00
FY 2010
Taxpayer
Partner
516,806.92
0.00
333,159.16
0.00
166,730.30
0.00
1,016,696.38
0.00
FY 2011
Taxpayer
Partner
569,431.79
0.00
364,373.58
0.00
185,890.89
0.00
1,119,696.26
0.00
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
4,302,066.58 1,390,077.07
2,653,548.34
714,293.19
681,411.59
159,615.57
7,637,026.51 2,263,985.83
Number of cases
Burglary renter
Flanders
Walloon Region
Brussels
Total
FY 2009
Taxpayer
Partner
1,600
0
1,036
0
637
0
3,273
0
FY 2010
Taxpayer
Partner
2,190
0
1,443
0
770
0
4,403
0
FY 2011
Taxpayer
Partner
2,349
0
1,513
0
816
0
4,678
0
FY 2012
Taxpayer
Partner
3,332
0
1,714
0
853
0
5,899
0
98

Full document of the cost-benefit

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