By David Rogers

The Styrian government is to subsidise home security systems as the number of break-ins across the country rises, it has been announced.

People’s Party (ÖVP) Deputy Governor Hermann Schützenhöfer said today (Fri) the provincial government would cover 30 per cent of the cost of alarm systems, security doors and surveillance cameras retroactively to 1 October 2009.

The subsidies will be limited to 1,000 Euros for most items but to 1,500 Euros for surveillance cameras.

Provincial ÖVP housing councillor Johann Seitinger said security devices would have to be installed by an authorised firm.

Schützenhöfer said the "alarming increase in the number of crimes against property" had been "the decisive factor" behind the decision and added

Styria public-security director Josef Klamminger said: "The number of break-ins has shot up."

He added homeowners could lessen the chances of a break-in with "low visibility of objects inside a residence and more self-protection."

Lower and Upper Austrian authorities have already backed subsidies for security systems and devices.

But in a recent poll, convicted burglars revealed dogs were the biggest single deterrent to break-ins.

Research by Upper Austrian police conducted among thieves showed that 83 per cent of burglars questioned said dogs were the biggest deterrent, while 77.5 per cent said video cameras, 60.6 per cent a nearby police station, 59.2 per cent alarms, 57.7 per cent barred windows and 53.5 per cent nosy neighbours.

Provincial authorities’ moves to subsidise security systems comes as the number of reported break-ins rose by 40 per cent in the first half of the year, recent police figures showed.

The Federal Crime Office (BK) also reported earlier this week that the number of reported crimes during the first 10 months of the year - 490,251 - was 3.3 per cent higher year on year.