Warning ahead of the European Championship

Why criminals are looking forward to the EURO soccer tournament

Burglaries increase by an average of ten percent on days with European Championship matches.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Fanzone Prater, Andreas Leisser)

Is there a direct link between major events such as the European and World Cups and an increase in burglaries? The insurer Wiener Städtische investigated this question. The results are astonishing.

When our national team meets France, Poland and the Netherlands in the European Championship group stage on June 17, 21 and 25, countless people will be drawn to the dozens of public viewings in public places, pubs and bars - hopefully in the best soccer weather. Burglars will also conclude that many people will no longer be able to keep an eye on their homes.

Pandemic caused a slight dip in the figures
Deserted houses and apartment blocks magically attract burglars during European Championship and World Cup matches, as Wiener Städtische has now discovered in its own survey. They looked back to the 2004 European Championships in Portugal. And lo and behold: On match days, reports of burglaries to the insurer increased by an average of ten percent. In some cases significantly more - if you exclude the European Championships 2021 and the pre-Christmas World Cup in Qatar 2022. In both cases, public viewings were not permitted or never planned due to the cold season.

With the participation of the national team in Euro 2024, public viewings will be very popular again. As a result, many houses and apartments will be empty during the matches. It is to be feared that burglaries will increase again.

Doris Wendler, Vorstandsdirektorin der Wiener Städtischen, warnt vor einem Plus an Einbrüchen

Increase likely between June 14 and July 14
If you compare the number of burglaries on match days with those on which no European Championship or World Cup matches took place, there has been a whopping ten percent increase over the last ten tournaments. The good news: since the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, when an average of 26 burglaries were reported per match day, the number has halved again. However, this should not be a reason to sound the all-clear. Wiener Städtische is also expecting an increase in the upcoming European Championship period from June 14 to July 14.

The increase can be clearly seen during the European Championships and World Cup - the only exceptions are the "corona tournaments" in 2021 and 2022.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Pickpockets are in high season at public viewings
Soccer fans will crowd around the public viewings at many a European Championship match, for example at Vienna's Rathausplatz or Graz's Karmeliterplatz, when Europe's best compete against each other in Germany. What you should pay particular attention to are your own belongings. As at any major event, thieves will be targeting visitors' wallets, cell phones and handbags.

Only buy UEFA tickets via official channels!
Anyone who wants to watch the game not only on TV or on the big screen, but also in the stadium, should also be warned. Fake tickets are currently circulating online. UEFA is only selling digital tickets via official channels. So if someone is offering printed tickets, they are counterfeits. Tickets are also being offered for sale on social media. Caution is also required with these. They may only be passed on via the UEFA app. If you pay for a ticket and it is sent to you, you could still find yourself standing in front of locked stadium gates.

Warning about a new trick
While people are cheering outside, many homes are unoccupied, giving burglars far too easy a game. Now there is also a warning about a new trick ... more on Krone+.

Doris Wendler, Managing Director of Wiener Städtische, is calling for more vigilance. Entrances should always be locked, windows and patio doors locked. Entry aids for burglars, i.e. ladders, tools, boxes, etc. should never be left in plain sight outside. Otherwise, the euphoria of the European Championships could quickly turn into depression ...