Coming home to a break-in is upsetting, and it is hard to think straight. This checklist covers what to do in the first few hours, from calling the police to getting the house secure for the night.
1. Make sure you are safe
If you think someone may still be inside, do not go in. Move somewhere safe and call 999. If the break-in is over and nobody is in danger, call the police on 101 to report it.
2. Get a crime reference number
When you report the burglary, the police will give you a crime reference number. Write it down. Your insurer will ask for it, and you may need it when you contact your bank or replace documents.
3. Leave things as they are
As far as you can, do not tidy up or clean before the police have been, as you may disturb evidence. Take photos of the damage, including forced doors and windows, broken glass and anything that has been moved or taken.
If broken glass is a danger to children or pets, keep them out of the room rather than clearing it straight away.
4. Cancel cards and change passwords
If bank cards, phones, laptops or tablets have been taken, contact your bank and phone provider as soon as possible, and change passwords for any accounts that were logged in on stolen devices. If a passport or driving licence has gone, report it.
5. Call your insurer
Contact your home insurer as soon as you can with the date, the crime reference number and a first list of what is missing or damaged. Ask what they need from you and whether they will cover emergency securing and lock changes. Keep any receipts for emergency work.
6. Make the property secure
Once the police are happy, the priority is getting the house secure and weather-tight before night.
- Broken glass. A broken window or door panel can be boarded up properly and the broken glass cleared away safely. The permanent glass is measured and fitted afterwards.
- Forced or damaged locks. A lock that has been snapped, drilled or forced should be replaced, not just made to work.
- Stolen keys. If keys were taken, change the cylinders so those keys no longer work, even if the locks themselves were not damaged.
- Every door and window. Check all of them, including upstairs windows, back doors and side gates.
7. Think about how they got in
Once the immediate jobs are done, look at how entry was made. It often points to a weak spot that is easy to improve.
- If a euro cylinder was snapped, replace it with one rated TS 007 3 star or Sold Secure Diamond. Our guide to anti-snap locks explains the ratings.
- If a timber door was forced, check the lock meets the standard your insurer asks for, often BS 3621, and that the frame is sound.
- If a window was forced, check the hinges and locking points are in good order and the handles lock.
It is also worth reading our post on changing the locks when you move house. The same thinking applies after a break-in: you need to know exactly who can open your doors.
8. Look after yourselves
A break-in can leave people feeling unsettled at home for a while. Victim Support offers free, confidential support in England and Wales to anyone affected by crime, whether or not it has been reported to the police.
Need the house secured tonight?
Steve offers 24 hour boarding up across north Herefordshire and Ludlow, with broken glass cleared and the opening made secure the same night. Because he is a glazier and locksmith too, he can come back to fit the replacement glass and new locks himself.
He covers Hereford, Leominster and the villages in between. Call 07948 117374.