Reacting To A Burglary

One of the last things that anyone wants to go through is to return home and realize they have fallen victim to a burglar. It is devas­tating. It can be even worse if the act happens when you are home. If you were the victim of a burglary, would you know how to respond? How you react upon the initial discovery and following weeks can make a huge difference. 

Stay Calm

As soon as you realize what has happened, you will likely experience a strong mixture of negative emotions such as fear, anger, and anxiety, and a hard spike of adren­aline. Your body WILL react to this acute degree of stress. As a response, your heart rate and blood pressure will elevate, and you will likely begin rapidly breathing. In short, you will begin to panic, and panic isn’t helpful in a moment like this. If possible, find a quiet, safe place to sit outside of your home. Relax your body and take a series of deep, slow breaths. Do not re-enter your home unless you are certain the burglar has already left. 

Call The Police

Now that you have calmed down, you need to notify the author­ities. The sooner you let the police know what happened, the sooner they will be on their way, and the better your chances will be to regain your stolen items. As time lapses, the burglar/​s will be harder to catch, so getting the author­ities on their trail immedi­ately is essential. Follow any instruc­tions you are given by the dispatcher or officer they connect you with. 

Take Good Notes

If you were at home when the burglary occurred, or arrived while the burglars were still there, write down what you saw. Any descrip­tions can help. How tall they were, what their hair looked like, gender, age, race, and what they were wearing are all important physical descriptors. If you didn’t catch anyone in the act but maybe noticed some suspi­cious individuals around your neigh­borhood recently, that infor­mation can assist as well. 

Do your best not to touch anything in your home. Officers will want to see the crime scene as undis­turbed as possible. Altering anything may impede their investigation.

You should begin giving your home a thorough exami­nation for any damages and stolen items. Take notes and pictures. Were any windows broken, or doors kicked in? Write it down and take a picture. What is missing? Write down a physical description of the missing item/​s, what room the item was located in, and where in the room it was. If you have pictures of the missing objects, serial numbers for missing electronics, or any security camera footage of the burglars, provide it to the officers. 

File An Insurance Claim

With a police report in hand, notify your insurance company. You will need to provide them with the report number, and several other pieces of infor­mation that are documented on the police report. Gather any receipts that are pertinent and have those handy, too. Your insurance company may send an adjuster to your home to assess the situation personally. If that happens, have copies of all of your paperwork ready. The insurance adjuster will probably take your evidence with him or her, but you should have a set of the infor­mation with you for your own records, too.

Reclaim Your Sense Of Security

One thing you are guaranteed to lose in any home invasion is your sense of security and safety in your home. It may be the most precious thing you lose. The good news is that you can get it back. If you haven’t invested in a home security system yet, now is the best time to do it. Burglars often target the same home more than once if they managed to get away cleanly the first time. A security system is the best tool for preventing, detecting, and catching a home invader. Security can make your home feel safe and secure again as well as prevent a repeat burglary. If you know how the intruder entered your home, take steps to reinforce security in that location. A stronger door, lock, or window can encourage a criminal to find a different target.