How To Secure Your Home After a  Break-In

Whether you’re at home or away on vacation, having peace of mind knowing your house is safe is essential. When making preparations to protect your home, you always hope that you won’t have to use them. Even if you have little control over what other people do, you can take precautions to keep intruders out of your home.

Although break-ins can occur at any time, they occur most frequently during the day and, in more significant cases, during the summer. You may reduce your likelihood of becoming a victim of a crime by implementing home security measures that will protect your home from intrusions and burglaries any time of day or night. 

As a first line of defense, you can assess your home’s security, adjust your habits before leaving, and install additional safeguards. In the aftermath of a home invasion, it’s normal to feel scared and traumatized. Still, it shouldn’t stop you from taking the steps necessary to address the immediate problem and deter further intrusions.

 Steps To Follow After a Break-In 

1. Alert the authorities.

In the event of a break-in, call 911 immediately. It may be best to go to a neighbor’s house, especially if you have children, as the stress and anxiety of a potential home invasion will prevent you from thinking clearly enough to make a phone call to the police.

Don’t panic; calmly give the 911 operator your name, number, and address and indicate whether you think the break-in is still happening.

2. Compile a detailed inventory of the stolen property.

Police will arrive and take statements, gather evidence, and question potential witnesses and victims about what they saw and thought was stolen. They will then compile a report and issue you a case number; make sure to save this in case you need it for anything down the road, such as an insurance claim or just keeping tabs on your situation.

3. Take the appropriate pictures.

Document the break-in by taking pictures of your property and the damage (including broken glass from windows and doors). You’ll want to do this since the more evidence you have, the better your case will be in the future.

4. Call a locksmith.

After receiving clearance from the police, it is time to call a locksmith. A locksmith can come to your house and see if they can fix the security systems immediately. However, suppose the damage is too great to be repaired. In that case, a locksmith can help temporarily increase your home’s security by boarding up any damaged doors or windows until they can replace them.

 Steps To Take One Day After the Break-In 

1. Inform your insurance.

Most insurance companies have specific procedures that you must follow to file a claim. If you want to win your case and get compensated fairly, notify them as soon as possible and gather more evidence. 

2. Notify your bank.

You should always notify your bank that you have been a victim of a burglary and report any strange activity on your account, even if you are unsure what was stolen. 

3. Contact loan and credit card companies.

Put in a request for a security alert to warn potential creditors. It means that a thief who steals your identity won’t be able to open credit accounts or get loans in your name.

4. Prepare your list of stolen items.

To be safe, writing everything missing from your home is best. The police will ask about anything of significant value, whether it’s a piece of jewelry, electrical machinery, or something as personal as a credit card or passport. 

Ways To Secure Your Home After the Break-In 

 Locks should be upgraded. 

According to expert locksmiths in Frisco, better security measures and burglar deterrents are available for some locks, making it more challenging for would-be intruders to access your home. Improving your house’s security will not only provide peace of mind but also convey to would-be intruders that your home is now a more difficult target. 

 Place motion sensor lights. 

If you want to prevent intruders from hiding in your yard or around your house, installing motion sensor lights in strategic areas is a good idea. You’ll be less of a target for thieves if they are more likely to be caught or seen. 

 Install burglar alarms and security cameras. 

If you want to feel safe in your home, installing security cameras and a burglar alarm is necessary. These gadgets also serve as powerful visual deterrents to would-be intruders.

Key Takeaway 

A home invasion’s emotional toll is not proportional to the value of the stolen items but instead to the trauma of having one’s personal space and safety violated. Concern, anger, and a sense of being violated are all normal responses to a home invasion or burglary. However, things aren’t doomed to stay this way forever. When you take steps to secure your house as discussed above, you will begin to feel better again.