Thieves are feared to have targeted homes that were evacuated due to the wildfires that have been ravaging Madrid over the past week.

The Guardia Civil said it received several calls from evacuated residents to say that their home security alarms have been triggered while they were away.

‘We’ve received several calls, mainly from people who have alarm systems connected, telling us that the alarms have gone off,’ Guardia Civil spokeswoman Mercedes Martin told Telemadrid.

She said it will only be possible to confirm whether any burglaries have taken place once residents are allowed to return home and inspect their properties before filing official complaints.

The Guardia Civil said the scale of the emergency, with entire communities evacuated across multiple municipalities, has required a major increase in policing efforts to protect deserted neighbourhoods.

Martin explained that safeguarding homes against theft and looting is one of the force’s key responsibilities whenever towns are evacuated because of natural disasters.

She also praised residents for cooperating with evacuation orders and highlighted the coordination between the Guardia Civil, Local Police and Civil Protection teams.

‘People responded very well to the instructions they were given and, in the end, we achieved what mattered most: ensuring there was no loss of life,’ she said.

The enhanced patrols come as emergency services continue battling the wildfires, which have forced thousands of people from their homes across western Madrid and neighbouring regions.