How Do You Handle The Aftermath Of A Break-In?'

Needless to say, when someone breaks into your home, it can be traumatic. Aside from the financial loss, the sight of your home in a mess, not to mention the feeling of safety being gone, can all hit pretty hard. The moment after it happens, you can be frazzled, not knowing what to do. Here, we’re going to look at the essential steps you need to take

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In the immediate aftermath

If you’re reading this after having directly discovered the break-in, then the first thing is to make sure that you don’t touch anything. Make sure you’re somewhere safe and call the police. The sooner that you make the call, the better the chance of the culprit being caught. After the police have visited, be sure to make an inventory of everything that is missing and, once the aftermath is over, tidy up the home and go about fixing whatever the entry point was.

Getting in touch with your insurance company

If you have insurance, then this is the perfect opportunity to make use of it. You should call your insurance provider as soon as possible, as the claims process can take a while and you want to make sure that you have a good idea of what it will take to make your claim, including any proof they might need of missing items (this can include things like timestamped photos or receipts to prove you owned these items.)

Notify the right people

Nowadays, it’s not just physical goods that can be stolen, but data and details that can lead to the wrong people having access to information they shouldn’t. For one, let your bank know about the break-in and if there are any financial documents missing, so they can keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Similarly, if you have any sensitive data on lost laptops or digital devices, think about who you need to inform. Of course, you should tell your neighbors about it, as well. There is even a chance they might have witnessed something that they didn’t realize, at the time, was the sign of a crime taking place.

Creating a more secure home

Though the victim is never to blame for a break-in, it should be taken as a sign of just how important good home safety is. Take the time to audit the security of your home, installing high security locks, making sure there are no weak windows or easy break-in points, and securing a safe for your most valuable items. You may want to also consider an alarm or CCTV system.

Checking in on yourself

As mentioned, there is real trauma experienced as the result of a break-in. It can take people some time to feel some comfort and safety in their homes. Talk to your family members and, if necessary, try to find some counseling to help you process your emotions.

A break-in can be a very hard thing to deal with, indeed. Hopefully, however, with the tips above, you can bounce back, perhaps recoup some if not most of your losses, and feel secure in your home again.