Burglary Rates Drop Despite High Rankings

Sixteen municipalities in Baix Llobregat, including L'Hospitalet, appear among the 49 locations in Barcelona province with the highest rates of home burglaries per 10,000 inhabitants during the first half of 2026, according to a ranking by emergency locksmith service Técnicos en tu Zona. The data is based on the Ministry of the Interior's Crime Report for the second quarter of 2026, published in September, and uses population figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE) census as of 1 January 2025. While the presence of so many Baix Llobregat towns on the list may seem concerning, the overall trend is positive. Home burglaries across these 16 municipalities have dropped by 26.7%, from 430 incidents between January and June 2025 to 315 in the same period in 2026. This decline is nearly four times greater than the 6.7% drop seen across Barcelona province as a whole.

Molins de Rei and Castelldefels Top Regional List

Molins de Rei has the highest burglary rate in Baix Llobregat, with 8.4 incidents per 10,000 inhabitants, the eighth highest in the province. It recorded 23 burglaries, unchanged from 2025. Castelldefels follows closely with 7.7 per 10,000 inhabitants, reporting 54 burglaries, one more than in 2025. Both exceed the provincial average of 7 per 10,000. These towns are more vulnerable due to their higher concentration of single-family homes, second residences, and properties left empty during holidays, which offer burglars more access points and longer windows of opportunity.

  • Molins de Rei: 8.4 burglaries per 10,000 residents
  • Castelldefels: 7.7 per 10,000
  • Sant Just Desvern: 7.1 per 10,000
  • Sant Vicenç dels Horts: 5.6 per 10,000
  • Gavà: 5.2 per 10,000

Sharp Declines in Sant Boi, Esplugues and Viladecans

Some of the most significant improvements are seen in Sant Boi, which reduced home burglaries from 55 to 21, a 61.8% drop, the largest in the region. Esplugues saw a 45.9% decrease, from 37 to 20 cases, while Viladecans dropped from 37 to 22, a 40.5% reduction. L'Hospitalet recorded 142 burglaries, down from 173 the previous year (−17.9%), with a rate of 4.9 per 10,000 inhabitants. Cornellà reported 43 burglaries, down from 62 (−30.6%), at a rate of 4.7. At the lower end, Sant Andreu de la Barca had just three burglaries in the first half of 2026, one fewer than in 2025, giving it the lowest rate in the province at 1.1 per 10,000 inhabitants.

Simple Tactics Used by Burglars

According to Técnicos en tu Zona, many break-ins rely on low-tech methods. One common tactic involves leaving small plastic tags or glue marks on door frames to check whether a home is occupied. If undisturbed for days, thieves may assume the property is empty. Another technique uses plastic strips or old X-rays to slip through poorly secured doors that were only pushed shut, bypassing the latch without forcing the lock. The Mossos d'Esquadra note that most burglaries are carried out by small groups of two to four people targeting cash, jewellery, and other easily transportable valuables.

These are not highly sophisticated operations. Often, the weakest point is a door that wasn’t properly locked.

Six Tips to Deter Home Burglaries

Residents can reduce risk with simple, practical steps:

  • Always lock your door. Simply closing it is not enough, use the key to engage the lock.
  • Check for suspicious markers. If you see plastic, glue, or foreign objects on your door frame, report it to the Mossos d'Esquadra.
  • Upgrade your lock. Install cylinders with anti-bumping and anti-pick protection, along with a security escutcheon.
  • Make your home look occupied. Ask a neighbour to collect mail, vary blind positions, or use timers for lights.
  • Keep holidays private. Avoid posting about travel plans on social media.
  • Secure all access points. Pay special attention to rear windows and doors in houses with gardens, which are less visible from the street.

Reported by lavanguardia.com, ine.es, La Vanguardia Barcelona.