Families of U.S. service members in and around Vicenza, Italy, have reported 20 home invasion break-ins to military police so far this year. Although that is down from the total of 28 last year, the winter holiday season is just about to start, meaning many residents will be leaving soon on extended vacations. (djedj/Pixabay)
VICENZA, Italy — Recent break-ins at the off-post homes of U.S. military personnel stationed at area Army bases are shining a spotlight on property crime just ahead of the winter holidays.
American families in and around Vicenza have reported 20 break-ins to military police so far this year. The scattered crimes have not targeted a particular neighborhood.
Last year, there were 28 break-ins at military-affiliated households in the Vicenza area.
While the number doesn’t show an upward trend, families of American personnel have described brazen criminal behavior in posts to Facebook.
Alondra Govea, who lives about 8 miles outside of Vicenza with her Army spouse, had $10,000 worth of jewelry stolen over Veteran’s Day Weekend, she said in an interview. Police think the thieves climbed up to her second-floor balcony and opened the electric shutters with a credit card, she said.
“We believe they saw us leaving with a suitcase and knew that we were gone,” Govea said.
People also have rung the doorbell from time to time, possibly to check whether the family is home, she said, adding that one of those instances happened at 11 p.m.
Others have posted on Facebook about having their windows kicked in and seeing men in ski masks loitering outside homes.
After a series of break-ins early in 2023, the city of Vicenza said it would install at least nine additional cameras to be monitored by police, hire additional officers and increase patrols throughout the city center.
Attempts to reach the police department for comment on those measures were unsuccessful.
But Italian authorities have told their U.S. military counterparts that the issue is not unique to Americans, said Rick Scavetta, a U.S. Army Garrison Italy spokesman.
“Thefts occur at about the same rate among Italians,” Scavetta said.
There are about 14,000 Americans living in the Vicenza area, according to base officials.
One way to mitigate the risk of home-invasion theft in some cases is to have a good relationship with their neighbors, Scavetta said.
Leaving trash cans or mail out for days can alert would-be thieves that the occupant is out of town. A neighbor can bring them in and keep an eye out for suspicious activity, he said.
“Minimize leaving valuable objects in the front yard or porch; don’t leave valuables in your car,” Scavetta said. “If you have a high-value item, don’t put the box from the purchase in the trash on the street. Install camera surveillance for easy monitoring. Little things like that, just being aware.”
