You arrive home after a hard day’s work, an outing, or a vacation, only to discover any homeowner’s or renter’s worst nightmare: you’ve been robbed!
Drawers have been emptied, clothing tossed about, the fragile property is broken, and your cat won’t come out from under the bed. Your home has been burglarized.
A burglary not only causes financial damage, but it can also have a devastating emotional effect, leaving you feeling violated and vulnerable.
Knowing what your first steps should be upon discovery not only will place you on the road to recovery but will aid in retaking control of your life and your space once again.
Burglars and Thieves
Most delinquents will not strike when someone is home but prefer to enter when homeowners or renters are away at work or on vacation.
After entering right through your front or back door or an easily navigated window, they generally will act quickly, remaining inside a home for only a matter of minutes.
Bedrooms are a favorite place to begin because they may hide safes, cash, jewelry, guns, art, and collectibles. Living rooms and home offices will follow if they are looking for computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, car keys, or electronic equipment. Having a good security system in place is an effective deterrent to consider.
What To Do Immediately After Being Robbed
A home invasion can be traumatic. By implementing these actions, you’ll be able to take your space back.
1. Call Law Enforcement
The first action to take is to call your local police. It is advisable to wait outside or at a neighbor’s house as the burglar may still be inside your home. Wait for the police to arrive before venturing inside.
If the burglary takes place while you are at home, call the police and try to arrive in a safe place with any family members present. When the police arrive, be prepared to furnish as much info as possible.
2. Find Your Pet/s
There is a very good chance that the thief has left a door, window, or gate open, and a scared pet may have run out. Locate where your pets are and place them in a safe space while police work is performed. Keep pets away from broken glass or materials that can cause injury.
3. Contact Your Insurance Provider
Get in touch with your home or renters’ insurance provider as soon as possible before moving anything. Your insurance agent will inform you as to how to best document damage, list missing property, and file a claim. Talk to your agent if other property was stolen as a result of the home invasion.
4. Document Everything
Use a camera or smartphone to photograph all burglarized rooms. Make a list of all missing or damaged property and photograph it. Note broken and missing properties and take notes. Note timeframes and any details that come to mind. Do this rapidly, as memories fade.
5. Contact Your Financial Institution and Credit Card Companies
Verify if credit cards, debit cards, or personal information has been stolen. If you fear that your identity has been compromised, ask to temporarily freeze accounts, and cancel cards.
6. Secure Your Home and Property
You’ll need to wait until the police and your insurance provider approve cleaning up your home or repairing windows and doors. Consider any security measures that are already in place and verify if they need to be modified or replaced.
7. Change Your Locks
Once police and the insurance company have approved cleanup, check to see if keys or spare keys are missing. This will include any car keys as well. Replace locks immediately.
8. Alert Your Neighbors
Many times, burglars will target a specific neighborhood, so it’s good to let your neighbors know. In this way, they can take precautions to protect themselves.
Stay-at-home neighbors may have witnessed something they thought to be suspicious. If informed that a robbery has taken place, they can inform the police as to what they witnessed. Use social media to alert as many people as possible that a home invasion has occurred in your area.
9. Seek Professional Counseling
Your immediate reaction to a home invasion may be anxiety. If you can’t shake the stress and fear, seek out professional counseling or join a support group.
10. Re-evaluate Your Insurance Coverage and Security System
A good thing to do after a home invasion is to review your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy to determine if you have sufficient coverage. You also need to verify if the security systems are working properly, and if they need to be upgraded.
If you don’t have a security system, you may decide to have one installed. Also, consider installing door and window jams as well as deadbolt locks on entrances. Readjust your landscaping, if need be, to always have a clear view of your property.
Secure Your Space
Keep your doors and windows locked even when at home. Many criminals will slip in and out of houses through unlocked entryways. Consider a good security system that has monitoring. This allows authorities to arrive promptly at your home and often security cameras may aid in identifying a perpetrator.
If you are a victim of a robbery, as disheartening as this may be, you can reappropriate your space quickly and efficiently to avoid future burglaries.