In a statement to announce the "Chave Direta 2025" program, the GNR said that Aveiro, Braga, Faro, Leiria, Lisbon, Porto, Santarém, and Setúbal were the districts with the highest number of residential burglaries and robberies.

In its area of ​​​​territorial responsibility, the GNR recorded 5,454 crimes as of August 31, the majority of which involved theft through forced entry, or false keys.

In 2022, the GNR recorded 8,684 crimes of burglary or robbery in homes, compared to 8,213 in 2023 and 8,394 last year.

"Regarding the most common modus operandi for committing burglaries in homes, during the day, suspects usually knock on the door and, with a seemingly well-structured and pre-planned conversation, gain entry to homes, sometimes approaching the owners as they arrive home, or when they are nearby (in the yard/public area)," the police officer explains.

They also carry out scams in the same way, especially targeting elderly victims (or those with other vulnerabilities), beginning with a friendly conversation.

"At night, suspects sometimes force their way into homes by breaking down doors or windows, while the victims are already at home, relaxed or asleep, with no chance of reacting," the statement reads.

According to the GNR, some of the suspects appear to be familiar with the routines of the victims and the people living in the targeted residence.

Regarding residential burglaries, the police say they are carried out with violence against the victims, especially elderly citizens and vulnerable individuals.

The GNR reports that, in these robberies, the victims are assaulted or restrained, and in some cases, they are kidnapped inside their own residence while the suspects carry out the robbery.

"Residences located in remote areas or far from population centres end up being more vulnerable targets, as are those that lack security measures," according to the GNR.

Regarding the "Chave Direta 2025" Program, which ran from June 15th to September 15th, the GNR reported that it carried out several awareness-raising and patrolling activities in residential areas, aiming to raise awareness of security procedures to be adopted to prevent theft and robbery in homes, particularly during the absence of homeowners during the summer vacation period.

As part of the program, 5,797 GNR officers were involved, 510 requests were made to join "Chave Direta 2025," and 2,913 visits were made.