What To Do When You’ve Been Burgled

Being broken into at home is a scary thing to happen. Most of us have grown up knowing about criminals in our local area but no one ever thinks it will happen to them until it does. 

Having a burglar break into your home at night and steal from you is terrifying. The idea that someone has invaded your safe place which such ease is worrying and it makes you feel vulnerable and worried for the future. 

Sadly, criminals will take whatever they want from anyone and they don’t care whose life they ruin – and today we want to provide you with some advice on what to do when this happens to you. 

Protecting your home and your family is key; and here is what you should do when you find that you have been burgled this year. 

Call the police

The first thing you must do the moment you realise your home has been broken into is call the police. The sooner you call the police the better because they will want to come and assess the damage, take a statement, and ask neighbours what they have seen. It is so important to do this right away because the police will make you feel safe and they will give you some advice on what you can do next. 

Don’t touch anything

It is crucial when you see that you have been broken into that you don’t touch the point of entry or anything around it. This is a crime scene – and the police may want to dust for fingerprints and take forensics to try and identify the perpetrator. Make sure to stay away from the area and leave it exactly how you found it until the police arrive and can take a look themselves. 

Take photos

Even though you cannot touch anything right away – what you can do is take some photos and gather evidence. It is important to take photos at the time or the crime because you will be able to show the court later on what the home looked like at the time in case anything moves around during the chaos of the police coming to see it. It will ensure that you have an accurate representation of the scene to show it you need it later. 

Call a lawyer

One of the things you might want to do for peace of mind is hire some solicitors to help you get compensation from the burglar later on. If you do have to go to court it will also make you feel more comfortable and safe to have that support there who can speak on your behalf and defend you during the trial. It is something that will be a worthwhile investment. 

Install security measures 

Once the police have been and you have had everything recorded it is time for some cleanup. This will be anything from changing the door or the lock on your doors to cleaning up broken furniture or items around the house. After this it is time to make your home more secure. Install a camera at the front and the back of the house, motion sensing lights, and make sure your home alarm system includes a sensor on the back door which will trigger if the burglar snaps the lock and opens the door. 

Being broken into can be hard but we hope these tips will prepare you should that time ever come.