What to Do after a Burglary
Burglaries are nobody’s idea of fun. They can be highly stressful, not to mention traumatic knowing that somebody has been inside your home.
What to do next can feel overwhelming given that you’re still in shock and unsure how to act in such an unexpected situation. But it’s also important that you take the right steps towards compensation, justice and security.
Read on as we outline what you should do after a burglary…
Report the burglary
The first step in any situation is to report the burglary to the police. Never consider taking matters into your own hands – that will only add to your stress and worsen the situation. Try to remain calm as you call the non-emergency number, provide your address and explain what’s happened.
Avoid tampering
It’s important that you don’t get too hands-on with the areas where burglars have been. Remember, it’s essentially a crime scene for the police. Whether they’re checking for fingerprints and footprints or just trying to figure out the sequence of events, it’s best to leave the area untouched for now.
Document the damage
While you can’t interfere too much, you can document the damage. Keep a record of anything you realise to be missing and take pictures of any damage that has been done to your property, especially points of entry like smashed windows.
Block your cards or phones
If you notice that any payment cards are missing, it’s vital to contact your bank immediately to get them blocked. Similarly, if any phones have been taken, contact your network provider and ask them to block the phone to stop anyone using it.
Inform your home insurance provider
If you have home insurance, you may be able to claim for property damage or stolen items. Contact your insurer to let them know what’s happened. They can then tell you what the next steps are to make a claim – which will be much easier than working backwards in a week or so.
Secure the building
Once the police have inspected your home and taken a statement, the first thing you’ll want to fix are points of entry – the doors or windows that burglars damaged to get in. At this point, it’s also worth considering some extra layers of protection to prevent similar incidents happening in future, including:
- More robust doors or windows – To make life harder for burglars, make sure you have strong doors and windows with modern locks at the front, side and back of your house.
- CCTV cameras – Cameras are the ultimate deterrent to burglars, letting them know that everything they do can be watched back by the police.
- Intruder alarms – An intruder alarm can often stop burglars in their tracks, alerting neighbours, passers by or even the police to a break-in
Speak to our security experts
At Selectron, we know how difficult burglaries can be. If you’d like to talk about improving residential security, our team can provide the friendly advice and support you need to protect your home and give you some much-needed peace of mind.
Once you’re ready to talk, simply contact our team.
Selectron Ltd
At Selectron our solutions help you meet the increased challenges of today’s security and surveillance, enabling you to improve safety by reducing and preventing security breaches and accidents. Find out more about us >>
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