The Steps to Take After a Break-In at Your Home
Whether you rent a home or own a home, it doesn’t change your risk of being susceptible to a break-in from a burglary. When you have to face losing irreplaceable items from the home, as well as damage to the property, then there is a big emotional toll to consider. No one wants to walk into their home and see that things have been ransacked. However, if you do find yourself in this situation, then there are some steps to take that will help you to deal with it all, as well as help you to find the culprit. Here are some things to think about.
Leave the home and call the police
The burglary could have happened when you were out of the home, or you may walk in on a burglary in action. Either way, it is wise to step back out of the house and call to get help from the police. If a burglar is still there, then you can be risking your safety as you don’t know what state they are in or what kind of weapon that they have. If you walk in and the home has been ransacked, then don’t touch anything and go back outside of the house. You don’t need to know what has been stolen yet to contact the police, but there could be things that can help them identify the thief if they get there to an untouched crime scene.
Make notes
When the police arrive, they are likely to guide you through the home to see what has been taken. You should make a note of what has been taken, including a rough amount that was paid for it, as well as the color or if there were any identifying marks, such as stickers on a laptop. If property has been damaged, then make sure that you take pictures and make a note of what needs to be repaired, which could be anything from broken doors and windows to stained carpet or a cracked lamp. Getting help with replacement windows, for example, is something that will need to be done quickly, in order to make the home secure again. In order to be able to claim on insurance, then you need to file a report with the police, so make a list in as much detail as possible.
If you saw the burglar leave your home, then make sure that you also write down their description so that you don’t forget. What were they wearing? What race or sex were they? Did they have any identifiable marks or features, such as a beard or a big arm tattoo? These things can all help the police.
Take steps to secure the home again
Once the police have all that they need, it is time to clean up and to get the home ready and secure again. You can never make sure that it is 100% secure, but there are some options that can help. Getting security cameras up on the home can help, as well as an alarm system. A Ring doorbell is a popular choice to help, as it has a camera for anyone walking past it, and you can check on it with an app, even when you’re not at home.
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