Vacation time – the time for break-ins? Gigaset elements can help

Munich, June 2, 2014 – On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, Thomas de Maizière, Germanys Federal Minister of the Interior, will present the official 'police crime statistics'. What is sure today is that the number of break-ins is growing at a frightening rate in many parts of Germany. The State Criminal Investigation Departments report rises of up to 33%, depending on the federal state. More serious than the potential financial loss to victims is the emotional trauma they may suffer. Anyone can be affected, yet not everyone can afford an often expensive professional alarm system that also offers hardly any other benefit in everyday life. Gigaset elements, the innovative solution for the smart home, offers a low-cost alternative.

Alarming number of break-ins
The State Criminal Investigation Departments recorded more than 149,500 break-ins in apartments and houses in 2013. In its last weekend edition German ’Welt am Sonntag’ already reported that therefore all three and a half minutes a burglary is committed. Criminologists believe there is a “not insignificant dark figure” – i.e. the number of break-ins is far greater, as not all are reported to the police.

The figures have been growing for years – a trend that the police and Criminal Investigation Departments ascribe to organized gangs of burglars, as well as a growing host of opportunist thieves who break open unsecured doors or windows using screwdrivers. Either way, the chances of the crime being solved are low – only around one in six cases can be successfully concluded by the police. The victims are left alone with their financial and emotional problems.

Vacation time is the time for break-ins
Criminals are attracted mainly when householders are away on vacation. Apartments and houses are often unattended for several days on end – enough time to case the joint, plan the job and carry it out. Once the door is open, a lot of time can pass until someone notices or reports there has been a break-in. Particularly in living situations where neighbors and other residents hardly know each other, it may often be the case that other criminals enter the home a second or third time and steal things that were of no value to the original burglar. A traditional alarm system offers good protection, but usually does not have any additional function that can be used for the rest of the year. Anyone wishing to improve their home's protection at little cost and also make it even more intelligent has an excellent answer in the shape of Gigaset elements.

Gigaset elements – the smart alternative
Gigaset elements is an intelligent, sensor- and cloud-based system for the home. It is inexpensive, can be expanded in a modular manner and is easy to install. Sensors register information and forward it reliably to the smartphone, thus helping people stay in touch with their home and keep an eye on things at all times. A vivid introduction can be viewed on the official Gigaset elements YouTube channel.

“Gigaset elements aims to be more than an alarm system,” says Torsten Velker, Head of Home Solutions at Gigaset. “Our system is a groundbreaking solution for the smart home and can also ensure more security in apartments and houses thanks to its sensors and actuators . Doors and windows are especially at risk. Our door and window sensors can be mounted precisely there. When an intruder starts tampering with them, the sensors report that to the user's smartphone or automatically activate siren, the alarm siren.”

That can make the crucial difference in many cases. The police lists four out of ten break-ins as “attempts” that were aborted because the perpetrators were disturbed or scared off by an alarm. Consequently, Gigaset elements does not respond once a burglary has taken place, but informs its users of potential attempted break-ins, while siren raises the alarm immediately and acts as a deterrent on the spot.

Gigaset elements also offers many other possible uses. For example, the sensors register if doors are opened and locked normally – a convenient means for users to keep tabs on whether the kids have returned safely from school or whether the housekeeper was there regularly during the vacation, for instance.

The elements

  • app (application): The free app (for smartphones and browsers) means the home is just a click away. It enables users to take immediate action in response to any unexpected incidents.
  • base (base station): The platform for using Gigaset elements and connecting the sensors with the smartphone.
  • motion (motion sensor): Without cables and powered by battery, “motion” detects people moving in the home.
  • door (door sensor): Without cables and powered by battery, “door” distinguishes between normal opening of a door and an attempted burglary.
  • window (window sensor): Without cables and powered by battery, “window” delivers information on the current status of the window and whether it is opened or closed.
  • siren (alarm siren): In the event of an attempted burglary, “siren” emits a loud alarm as a deterrent – especially effective against anyone breaking in for the first time.
  • Soon: camera: Nothing escapes the gaze of camera and you can see what is happening at home at any time.

Gigaset elements is now on sale. The starter kit has a recommended retail price (RRP) of €199.99. The additional elements “door,” “motion,” “window” and “siren” each cost €49.99 (RRP). The smartphone app is free of charge and no further costs are incurred for using it.

Note to the editorial teams
You can find more information on Gigaset elements and its current and future functions on the official homepage. We also keep you up-to-date on Gigaset elements and other topics from Gigaset in our corporate blog. If you don’t want to miss any news, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Twitter.


Gigaset AG, Munich, is an internationally operating company in the area of communications technology. It is Europe's market leader in DECT telephones. The premium supplier is likewise the leader worldwide with around 1,400 employees and sales activities in around 70 countries. Under the name Gigaset pro, the company continues to develop and market innovative business telephony solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. The company also operates in the smart home arena. Cutting-edge, cloud-based products and solutions for the smart home are developed and marketed under the name Gigaset elements.

Gigaset AG is listed on the Prime Standard of Deutsche Börse and is therefore subject to the highest requirements for transparency. Its shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'GGS' (ISIN: DE0005156004).

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