What To Do After a Break In
Statistics show that a break in occurs approximately every 13 seconds.
The unthinkable has happened: You’ve returned home from a day at the office or a night on the town and made the unsettling discovery that your home has been broken into. Or worse, your home was broken into while you were at home.
No matter the specific details of the situation, a home invasion is an unpleasant experience that has likely left you feeling frightened, violated and vulnerable. A break in is something that everyone hopes they never experience, but unfortunately, they happen. If you have been the victim of a home invasion, here’s what you need to do:
Steps to Take Following a Break In
- Make sure everyone is safe: Possessions can be replaced; your family can’t. If you’re not already inside your home when you discover that it has been broken into, stay outside. Make sure you know where all of the members of your household are.
- Call the police: People often wonder if calling the police is the right course of action following a break in, especially if they can’t tell if anything is missing. You should always call the police to report any home invasion, even if nothing was stolen.Reporting the incident and filing a report is necessary for insurance claims, and it helps law enforcement track down offenders. Once the police arrive, go through your home and determine any items that have been stolen or damaged. Make a list including descriptions and estimated values. If you saw the burglar leaving your home, provide the police with the most accurate description possible. Details like sex, race, age, clothing and identifiable marks such as tattoos or scars can all help police officers find the offender. If you have security cameras in your home, let the police know so they can view the footage as part of their investigation.
- Call your insurance company: Your next phone call should be to your insurance company. Whether you have renter’s or homeowner’s insurance, filing a claim with them is the best way to recoup some of your losses. Calls to insurance companies need to be made within 24 hours of reporting the break in to the police. To process your claim, the insurance company may send over a claims adjuster to examine the damage in person.
- Begin the clean-up process: Once the police and your insurance company have obtained all the necessary information and evidence, you can begin cleaning up and putting your life back together. Repairing the physical damage of a break in is the first step toward repairing the emotional damage and moving on with your life.
- Come to terms with the emotional damage: Losing possessions is just one aspect of being the victim of a break in. You and your family may also experience emotional damage. Children are especially susceptible to feelings of fear and vulnerability following a home invasion. Feeling unsafe and violated following a break in is completely natural. If, however, you or your family members find yourself severely struggling to move past the incident, it may be wise to speak with a counselor or therapist to deal with issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, that can occur as the result of a traumatic event like a home invasion.
- Protect your home: Consider how the burglar entered your home. With 34% of break ins occurring through the front door and 22% occurring through the back door, statistics indicate that upgrading your door is a good investment for improving security in your home. You may also want to consider window locks and motion sensor lights. Even simple security measures like “Beware of Dog” signs and dummy security cameras can help keep would-be thieves at bay.
Keep Your Home Safer With A Monitored Security System
To fully ensure the security of your home, you need to invest in a home security system complete with 24/7 monitoring. Security systems can be thoroughly customized to meet the needs of you and your family, and 24/7 monitoring ensures that, if a break in should occur, the proper authorities will be alerted immediately. At Colorado Security Products, we offer a number of security systems to keep your family safe. We are one of the oldest and most experienced security companies and locksmiths in Colorado, and we are committed to giving our clients a fighting chance against intruders. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 303-756-1000 to get an advanced Denver security system for your home.