Get A Free Quote

What to Do After a Burglary

General

a broken window that a burglar used to enter a home

My House Was Broken Into? What Should I Do?

If you’ve just suffered a home burglary you may simply be asking what do I do now? Whether you’re in panic mode or you’re just not sure where to turn, learn what to do immediately after a home burglary, these tips will help you get through the process as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Step 1.  Call the Police

The first thing you should always do after a home burglary is to call the police.  If your security system was armed – triggering an alarm, we will contact the authorities for you.  

  • If you’ve left the house and/or you think the intruder may still be there:  This is an emergency. From your locked car or a neighbor’s house, dial 911.
  • Any delay to call the police could the lower their chances of catching the perpetrator and recovering your stolen items.

 

Step 2.  Survey your property and possessions

Once the authorities arrive at your home, make a detailed and complete list of everything that has either been damaged or stolen. Include as many details as you can about each item and their value. Give this list to the police and save additional copies for your own records, as well as your insurance company.

It’s also a good idea to take photographs or provide video footage of your damaged property. It’s likely that you will need to provide proof to your insurance company of items that were taken or damaged in the process.

 

Step 3.  Call your insurance company

Assuming you have insurance, you will need to file a claim within 24 hours of filing a report with the police, so it’s important to notify them as soon as you can. In most cases, a claim adjuster will come and inspect your home and any associated damage that may have been caused, so it’s essential that at this stage not to move or touch anything unless you’ve been instructed to do so by the police.

 

Step 4.  Call your bank

After you’ve called the police and spoken to your insurance company, you’ll need to call your bank if any of your credit/debit cards or checks were stolen. Likewise, if a computer, tablet, or phone with banking information and financial data was taken, you’ll need to share this information with your bank as well. It’s important that you call your bank and financial institutions as soon as possible to avoid fraud or any additional theft.

 

Step 5.  Notify others

Consider everything that was taken and who else you may need to notify:

  • If your driver’s license was taken you should apply for a replacement immediately.
  • If your passport was taken notify the office that issued your passport to cancel it, then apply for a new one.
  • If your mobile phone was stolen, notify your network provider right away, so that they can block the phone from being used.
  • Notify your neighbors of the burglary to see if that may have witnessed anything.

 

Step 6.  Take care of yourself

Besides simply losing valuables and causing damage to your home, burglaries can leave you and your loved ones feeling vulnerable, unsafe and emotionally shaken. Once you’ve taken all of the immediate actions, you need to channel your attention to taking care of yourself and your family. 

 

Step 7.  Apply preventative measures

Installing security cameras can help make you feel safer and secure in your own home and reduce the risk of a second home burglary.

Contact EMC Security to take preventative measures and make your home safer in the future. Check out our blog for other helpful security tips to prevent your home from being burgled again.