The number of burglaries in Swiss homes – once considered safe – is rising sharply. According to figures from the insurance company AXA, published on 22 October, the number of burglaries per insured household has risen steadily since 2020. In 2025, four per cent more burglaries were recorded than in the previous year – and 15 per cent more than in 2022.
Burglars are particularly active during the winter months. From October to March, AXA recorded 45 per cent more burglaries than during the summer months. December is the month most prone to burglaries, with November coming a close second. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, there are more than twice as many burglaries as on ordinary days. The transition to the earlier onset of darkness in winter contributes to this increase.
It is suspected that a variety of factors lie behind this trend
The risk varies between cantons. In Geneva, the likelihood of being the victim of a burglary was more than twice the average for the period 2019–2025, at 8.4 burglaries per 1,000 households per year. Vaud, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Jura, Solothurn and Neuchâtel were also above average.
In central Switzerland and the south-eastern parts of the country, the risk is significantly lower. In Uri and Graubünden, only one burglary per 1,000 households per year was recorded, whilst Glarus had 1.2. The national average stands at 3.3.
It is not only the number of burglaries that is rising, but also the costs. In 2025, AXA paid out over 22 million Swiss francs for burglaries – nine per cent more than the previous year and 60 per cent more than three years earlier. The average loss per burglary reached a record level of over 7,000 francs – which is 30 per cent higher than in 2022.
80 per cent of prisoners in Switzerland are foreigners. And guess what; burglaries are at record levels. Do you think there is a correlation? https://t.co/PIugzo5OWn
— Tahoeguym (@TahoeGuyM) 23 October 2026
AXA points to several reasons: People are owning more and more valuables, prices have generally risen, and the number of major claims (over 30,000 francs) has doubled since 2023. It is suspected that a diverse culture of professional, well-organised networks lies behind the developments of recent years.
