Imagine coming home and finding that your house had been ransacked. It is a terrible feeling that we would never wish upon anyone, but, unfortunately, it does happen. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there are approximately 2 million burglaries every year in the United States. There are security measures you can take to try and prevent thieves, but if you find yourself a victim of a break-in, be sure you know which steps to take immediately.
Police
Call the police. This should be your first instinct, but a reminder doesn’t hurt. Also, try not to touch anything in case the police want to dust for fingerprints.
If you think the intruders may still be in your home, leave. Get back into your car and go to a trusted neighbor, family, or friend’s house. Remember that your life is more important than any material things.
Insurance Agent
After you have contacted the police and the chaos has died down, you should call your insurance agent. Create an inventory of the items stolen, and anything that was damaged during the burglary. If the police report is not ready yet, take note of important details, such as the police report number, the law enforcement agency and the name of the officer that took the report, etc. You will be able to update your claim throughout the process, so don’t fret if you are unsure of everything that was stolen yet. Depending on the severity of the case, you can handle your claim online, over the phone, or a claims representative may visit.
Improve Your Home Security
Now that you have gotten the ball rolling on your police report and insurance claim, you may want to consider investing in a home security system, or upgrading your existing equipment. Because burglars know you will replace your belongings, you are likely to become a victim again. Typically, they will wait at least six months to a year to return. In that time, you can set up a home security system that will deter them or potentially catch them in the act. And if they don’t return, a security system can help you rest easy at night, and may even lower your insurance rates.
Remain Vigilant
You should let the police do their work and stay out of their way, but you might notice things that they may have missed. You can offer leads to the police, but you should not get your hopes up. For example, one homeowner whose television was stolen purposefully did not change her Netflix password. Eventually the homeowner realized that the thief was accessing her account through the stolen TV. Police were able to track down the IP address, but they could not render help until much later. By the time they had tracked down the stolen TV, the criminals were long gone. Despite the fact that this incident did not end happily, any leads you may come across might have a different outcome.
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