What to Do if Your House is Broken Into

What to Do if Your House is Broken Into

Have you ever felt the sinking feeling of dread after discovering that your house had been broken into? It’s a scary and unsettling experience, one that thousands of people have unfortunately gone through. CD Locksmith is here to help you understand what to do if your home has been victim to this type of crime.

A home burglary is a traumatic experience, and one that nobody should have to go through. Whether it’s an emergency lock change or more basic security tips, we’ll provide all the information necessary so that you can stay safe going forward and hopefully avoid any similar situations occurring in the future.

Thankfully, there are some steps you can take after a burglary to ensure that the process moves quickly and efficiently, and that your belongings are returned to you as soon as possible. Here’s what every homeowner needs to know about dealing with a break-in.

Secure Your Home Immediately

Your first priority should be securing your home. If the burglar is still in your house when you arrive, it’s best not to confront them. Call 999 immediately instead, and let the police handle it. Even if nothing has been taken, it is important that you file a report so that the incident can be documented and any potential evidence can be collected should the police decide to investigate further. Let them know what happened and make sure they know if anything was taken or damaged in the process

Once the police have left, it is time to secure your home against any possible future intrusions. Check all of your windows and doors for signs of tampering or forced entry, you may need to replace locks or repair damage caused by the intruder.

Make sure all windows are locked tightly when closed and consider adding additional security measures such as window locks or even bars in order to prevent future break ins. If you have an alarm system, make sure it is updated with current codes and passwords as well as sensors that will alert you if an intruder tries to re enter your home again.

Document Everything:

Once you’ve made sure your home is safe and secure once more, it’s time to document everything that was taken during the burglary attempt. Make a list of everything that was stolen or damaged, from jewellery to furniture, so you can give an accurate report to the police when they arrive on the scene.

It’s also important to document any evidence left behind by the burglars in case it helps with apprehending them later on down the line. This could include fingerprints, footprints or discarded items like masks or gloves.

When documenting after your house is broken into, it is important to do the following 3 things:

Take Photos & Videos:

If possible, take photos or videos of the scene before anything is moved or touched. Focus on any areas that have been damaged, any items that were stolen, and any evidence at the scene (such as fingerprints). If you can’t take photos or videos due to police protocol, then try sketching out the scene instead.

Write Down What Happened:

It’s important to write down every detail about what happened during the break-in and afterwards, no matter how insignificant it may seem. This includes times and dates, descriptions of any suspicious individuals that you saw before or after the break-in, and any other details that come to mind while jotting down notes. It’s important to do this right away so you don’t forget any key details later on.

Create an Inventory List:

You should also create an inventory list of items that were stolen from your home during the break-in if possible. This list should include descriptions of items (including serial numbers), estimated values, where they were located in your home, date purchased/acquired, and receipts/purchase paperwork if applicable. You will use this list when making an insurance claim and it will also be used in potential criminal investigations going forward as well.

Try & Recover Your Belongings

Once you’ve reported everything stolen or damaged at your property to the police, try and recover some of these items yourself too if you can. Check out secondhand stores in your area and look online for listings of recently sold items that may have been taken from your home, such as jewellery or electronics, so that you can track down where they went and potentially reclaim them before they’re gone forever!

Recovering your belongings after a burglary can be difficult but not impossible if you know where to look and what steps to take afterward. Make sure you file a police report right away and then check local pawn shops and online marketplaces for listings of similar items taken from your home so you can alert authorities if necessary . Taking these steps will hopefully help lead you one step closer toward recovering your stolen property!

A break in is an incredibly upsetting experience for any homeowner but fortunately there are steps you can take afterward to help make sure things go back to normal as quickly as possible, from securing your home immediately following the incident all the way through documenting what was taken (and trying to reclaim those items if possible).

Taking these steps should help ensure that justice is served, both for peace of mind for yourself as well as preventing future incidents from occurring in other homes in your area too! Good luck!