Steps to Take After a Home Break-In
November 15, 2022 7:55 amA home invasion or burglary can be a life-altering experience. While insurance may cover some or all of the financial losses, the stress can linger and leave a long-lasting psychological effect on you and your family. Knowing what to do after a break-in is essential for minimizing the damage.
My House Was Broken Into — What Should I Do Next?
Following these steps can mitigate the short- and long-term effects of a break-in and help you begin the journey to recovery.
Leave the House and Call 911
Your first instinct after coming home and discovering signs of a burglary, such as missing household items, ransacked drawers or broken windows or doors, might be to conduct a thorough search of the house to determine the extent of the damage. However, it’s possible that you caught the culprit in the act. Many burglars will attempt to hide somewhere on the property, which could pose a danger to you.
The best course of action is to leave your home immediately and call 911 so they can dispatch the police to your property to investigate. Don’t attempt to stop fleeing intruders — they could be armed and dangerous.
Find a Safe Location
Since it might not be safe to go back inside your house, you’ll need to find somewhere else to go until the police arrive. If you have friendly neighbors on your block, ask if you can seek shelter in their home until the coast is clear. You can still keep an eye on your property and note anything unusual, such as an individual running away or a vehicle that looks out of place.
If the neighbors aren’t home or you live in an isolated area, you can get inside your vehicle and lock the doors. You can always drive away if a suspicious individual approaches.
Don’t Try to Clean Up
Burglars can make a mess as they tear through your home seeking valuable items. While you might be tempted to put everything in order, cleaning up right away can do more harm than good. Intruders often leave fingerprints and other traces that law enforcement can use to determine their identity.
Your efforts could alter or destroy these clues, making it harder for the police to do their job. You might also destroy valuable evidence that aids the prosecution. And if your insurance provider determines you handled damaged items, it could impact the claims process.
Avoid touching or moving anything until the police and insurance claims adjuster complete their investigations and inform you that it’s okay to start cleaning up.
Inventory Your Belongings
After the police indicate that it’s safe to go back inside, you can begin to check if anything is missing. This information is essential for helping law enforcement locate and recover stolen items. Your insurance company will also need it when processing your claim.
Make a list of the goods and their approximate value. You can even draw a rough picture of unusual items to aid identification. If you notice anything with damage, use your phone to take a photo and give it to the police and your insurer. Remember — you don’t want to touch or disturb anything until you get approval.
You may have a record of serial numbers for items such as electronics, household appliances and firearms, which you should also supply to investigators.
Call Your Insurance Company Promptly
While you might hope you never have to use your homeowner’s insurance, now is the time to implement it. Most insurers have a time frame for reporting a claim — typically within 24 hours of the loss — so you don’t want to delay making the call. If it’s after your agent’s regular business hours, you should have access to an around-the-clock claims hotline.
If it’ll be a day or two until the claims adjuster can come to your home, you’ll likely need to find somewhere else to stay since you don’t want to disrupt the scene.
Adjusters will need a copy of the police report of the incident for their investigation, so be sure to obtain this from law enforcement.
If it’s been a while since you reviewed your policy, now is the time to check your coverage and determine the claims compensation you can expect. You’ll also be able to question your insurer if you believe they aren’t fulfilling their financial obligations.
Analyze the Security Footage
Do you have a home security system with video surveillance capabilities? Any footage of a house break-in as it occurs can be invaluable to law enforcement when identifying and apprehending the perpetrator. The video may also detect suspicious individuals lurking around your property before the event who are potential suspects.
Another advantage of video surveillance footage is that it can help you pinpoint weaknesses or vulnerable areas in your security setup. You can then take proactive measures, such as adding more cameras, changing their location or installing equipment like motion detectors and outdoor lighting. These steps can reduce the likelihood of another break-in or burglary.
Dealing With the Trauma of a Home Invasion
The emotional impact after someone breaks into your house can be devastating. You and your family may feel anger, frustration, anxiety and an ongoing fear that you’re no longer safe in your home.
These steps can help you cope with the immediate aftermath and the long-term psychological effects.
Make Sure Everyone Is Safe
The most important step when discovering a break-in is to account for all household members. If you believe someone may have been at home during the event, physically check their whereabouts or call them. If you can’t locate the individual, inform the police when they arrive.
An incident like this may upset young children, so do your best to comfort and reassure them that the threat no longer exists.
Talk About the Incident
Repressing fears or negative feelings about a break-in can be harmful, especially if you have lingering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms like nightmares, severe anxiety, flashbacks or depression. Talking about what you’re experiencing with a trusted friend or family member can help you feel better and begin the healing process. Another option is to seek counseling from a mental health professional or clergy member.
Bolster Your Home Security Efforts
Intruders often scope out a property for several days or weeks to find security vulnerabilities they can exploit and determine when someone is at home. You can significantly reduce your chances of being targeted and victimized again by installing a home security system or upgrading your existing equipment.
A system containing state-of-the-art cameras, motion detectors, fire alarms, glass breakage sensors and other advanced technologies will protect your family and give you peace of mind. Consider adding professional monitoring to enable highly trained individuals to watch your property remotely and call for help when they detect suspicious activity.
Contact Lexington Alarm for Your Home Security Needs
Are you concerned about a house break-in or home intrusion in the Greater Boston area? Lexington Alarm Systems can put your mind at ease. Our experienced team will collaborate with you to design and install a high-quality, technologically advanced security system you can trust to protect your property and keep your family safe.
Take the next step and contact us to request a free quote today.
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