A holiday that was not completely serene. Leaving your accommodation unattended while on vacation is not always easy, especially when you know that burglaries increase during the months of July and August. According to the Ministry of the Interior, more than 18,000 burglaries are recorded during the summer period and this is no coincidence: the dwellings are empty of their occupants and the neighbors are often absent too: no one to give the alert at the time of the intrusion.
As Planet explained to you, the government puts in place each year a system called “operation tranquility holidays”. Here is what the Ministry of the Interior explains on its website: “During any prolonged absence from your home, you can register for operation tranquility holidays. The police or gendarmerie services are then responsible for monitoring your accommodation. Patrols are organized to pass around your home. You will then be notified in the event of an anomaly, particularly a burglary or damage.
Concretely, how to register and go on vacation serenely? You can do it online up to three days before your departure for the police services, until the day before for the gendarmerie. You don’t know if your home depends on the police or the gendarmes? You can check it when you register. You then have nothing more to do because, as the Public Service website explains, “you are not informed of how the surveillance is taking place” and you will only be contacted by the police if the patrol finds anything suspicious”.
What are the periods concerned? Can we leave anytime? Should I register now? What happens if the dates change? When do police and gendarmes circulate?
Operation tranquility vacation is not available all the time. It is set up only during school holidays and all summer. You can register now, even if you won’t be leaving until August. In the event of a change in your dates, the Public Service website explains: “You can modify certain elements of your request (for example, report a modification of access to your accommodation). On the other hand, if you wish to change your dates of absence, you must first cancel your request to file a new one. Modification and cancellation can only be done by going to the gendarmerie brigade or the police station”.
Regarding the rounds, you will not be informed of the times when they take place…
You will never know when the police or gendarmes pass by your home, but they can do it on weekdays as well as on weekends, day or night. The rounds are random and it is better to cross your fingers not to be contacted, because it means that no problem will have been noticed outside your accommodation. Here are the different elements that can encourage them to contact you:
In the event of a problem, you will be contacted immediately by the gendarmerie or police services. It will then be up to you to take the necessary steps to restore your home, such as replacing a lock or a window, for example.
