Coming Home to a Break-In: What to Do Next

Imagine walking through the front door of your home after returning from a fun-filled vacation — and realizing that you’ve been robbed! A home theft can be a traumatizing experience. In addition to the loss of valuables and the destruction of your property, there’s the unnerving feeling resulting from the invasion of your and your family’s privacy.

What to Do If Your House Was Broken Into

There are several steps to take after a home theft:

Don’t touch anything: Once you’re able to regain your composure, your first instinct will likely be to start looking through your belongings to determine what is missing. However, it’s better to leave the scene intact, as this can assist the police in their investigation. Burglars often leave clues, and moving things around could disrupt them or cover them up. Feel free to take pictures of the burglarized areas, though — this can be helpful when filing a claim with your insurance company.

Call the police: Call 911 immediately so they can dispatch the police to your home. There’s a chance that the burglar could still be in the area, so getting law enforcement on the case right away can improve the odds of a fast apprehension and arrest. The police will likely ask you to do a walk-through of the residence with them, so you can provide a list of items that were stolen or damaged. The list will then be included in the report you file with the police department.

Contact your insurance carrier: If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance (which you should), contact the carrier as soon as possible to get the claims process started. Most insurance companies offer 24/7 claims service, so you can talk to a live person right away. You’ll need to provide the number of the police report, so be sure to get this information from the police before you call. Your insurance carrier will likely send a claims adjuster to your home to evaluate the scene.

Check pawn shops and Craigslist: An important but often overlooked step to take after a home theft is checking local pawn shops and the Craigslist page for your city. Burglars sometimes attempt to use these venues to obtain cash for the items they’ve stolen. Notify the police immediately if you come across any of your possessions.

Install/upgrade home security system: Installing a state-of-the-art security system can reduce the odds of another break-in. Today’s advanced systems include features such as motion sensors and alarms that notify a central monitoring service so it can immediately dispatch the police when a break-in attempt occurs. Video surveillance cameras provide recorded footage that can help law enforcement apprehend the burglar.

Contact Titan Alarm to Learn More About What to Do After a Home Theft

Titan Alarm, Inc. offers cost-effective security solutions to homeowners and renters throughout the Phoenix, AZ area. Contact us for additional advice regarding the steps to take after a home theft and to schedule a no-obligation security consultation.

Learn More About Burglar Alarm Systems

Updated by Titan Alarm on October 31, 2018.