In this guide
To hire a security company in Villarrica, first decide what you need (guards, an alarm, cameras or monitoring), then ask each company for its National Police licence resolution before talking price. After that, compare in writing what each service covers, who responds when an alarm goes off and who can see your footage.
What do you need to protect, and from what?
Robberies and thefts happen almost daily in different parts of Villarrica (opens in a new tab), according to Última Hora (August 2025). During a string of break-ins in early 2024, many shops in the centre already had bars and cameras, yet that did not stop thieves getting in (opens in a new tab): at one downtown store they forced the windows at 5:30 a.m.
The point is that each measure does a different job:
- Guards: physical presence, access control and deterrence. Worth it for busy shops, warehouses, buildings and events.
- Monitored alarm: alerts when someone gets in after hours. What matters is what happens next: who calls, who goes, and how fast.
- Cameras: help identify people and back up a police report, but on their own they stop no one. They work better when someone watches live or they are linked to the alarm.
For a house in the centre or in barrios such as Ybaroty, Estación or San Miguel, a monitored alarm often matters more than a guard. If you own farmland in Guairá districts such as Independencia, Borja or Iturbe, where the same report mentions cattle theft, ask whether the company patrols rural properties or only works in town.
How do you check a company is licensed?
Law 5424/2015 (opens in a new tab) regulates private security and surveillance services in Paraguay. It is enforced by a specialised National Police department (opens in a new tab) that licenses companies and issues the ID card every guard needs to work.
Every company needs a licence granted by resolution of the National Police command (opens in a new tab). Requirements listed by La Nación (June 2023) include being a registered company, psychological and firearms testing, declaring its directors, its own premises, life insurance for guards, patrol vehicles and uniforms. That year the police had 135 companies registered nationwide after cancelling or suspending about 200, and warned that many may operate illegally.
In practice:
- Ask for a copy of the licence resolution and check the name matches the invoice and contract.
- Ask to see the ID cards of the guards assigned to you.
- If in doubt, contact the police control department directly.
What about alarms and cameras?
Law 5424 also covers electronic security. Public tenders for camera systems require bidders to hold a National Police licence as an electronic security company or installer (opens in a new tab) under that law. Ask for the same at your home or business.
Police have warned that an unlicensed company cannot guarantee the alarm will trigger during a forced entry or that your data stays protected (opens in a new tab), and that unvetted technicians may access your footage. Ask:
- Who has access to the cameras and passwords? Ask to be given the administrator credentials.
- How many days is footage kept, and how do you download it for a police report?
- What does the control room do when the alarm sounds: call you, send a patrol, alert the police?
What should the contract say?
Get everything in writing:
- Scope: how many guards, what hours, which posts and which tasks (access control, rounds, opening and closing).
- Shifts and cover: under current law guards work 12-hour shifts (opens in a new tab). Ask how they rotate and who covers absences.
- Staff in good standing: the guards' union has reported companies paying less than the law requires or leaving staff uninsured. Ask whether guards are enrolled in IPS (social security) and have life insurance; a serious company will answer straight away.
- Response: monitoring and patrol response times, in writing.
- Invoice: the consumer agency Sedeco notes that every sale of goods and services must be invoiced (opens in a new tab) and prices must be stated in guaraníes.
What if something happens?
If you are robbed, report it at the police station or to the prosecutor's office and ask the company for the footage and alarm event log as soon as possible. If a company operates without a licence, the police say they rely on public complaints (opens in a new tab) to act, so report it to the control department.
FAQ
Who licenses security companies in Paraguay?
The National Police, through its security-company control department, under Law 5424. The licence is granted by resolution of the police command, and every guard needs an ID card.
Is a guard or an alarm better in Villarrica?
It depends on what you protect. For a home, a monitored alarm with a clear response plan usually does more; guards suit busy shops, warehouses and events.
Are bars and cameras enough for a shop?
Not always: during Villarrica's 2024 wave of break-ins, shops with bars and cameras were still robbed. Add a monitored alarm and agree who responds when it goes off.
What should I ask for before signing?
The licence resolution, the guards' ID cards, a contract with scope and response times, proof guards have IPS and life insurance, and an invoice.
