Hopefully you have never had to deal with the aftermath of a break-in at your home. Hopefully you never will have to either. However, because, as much as you might try to keep your home secure and safe, these things do happen on occasion, it’s worth knowing what the right steps are to take afterwards. Read on to find out what you need to do after a burglary at home.
- Call The Police
The very first thing you need to do when you come home to find your home has been robbed is to call the police. Not only do you need to do this so that they can send someone round to check things out and look for evidence, but you’ll also need a reference number for your insurance company.
Listen to what the operator tells you to do and follow their instructions carefully. You won’t want to compromise any investigation or put yourself in danger, and the operator will help you as much as they can.
- Make Notes and Take Photos
It might be hard to stay completely focused after realizing that your home has been burgled, which is why it can be a good thing to have a task to do. This will help you stay calm and prevent you from getting too stressed at the start. One task that is crucial is to go around your home (as long as it is safe to do so) and take photos and make notes of anything that is missing or damaged.
Remember, though, that although it’s important to do this early on, you must not touch anything until the police arrive. This is because they will need to look for fingerprints and other evidence, and you can’t contaminate the scene. If you can take your photos without disturbing anything, go ahead. Otherwise it will have to wait until later.
- Make Things Safe
A burglary is sure to leave you feeling vulnerable and even violated. At the very least, you’ll be uncomfortable in your home for a while. Some people even choose to move. No matter what you decide to do, you’ll need to make your property safe right away. This will mean boarding up broken windows and having the locks changed on your doors, just in case your keys were stolen. Don’t forget your car as well; it could be that the thieves took your car keys. In this case, it’s a good idea to contact Lost Car Keys Manchester to get a new set.
You’re going to be tired and stressed, but leaving any of these things could be problematic; your home won’t be secure, and you might lose more belongings in the meantime.
- Take Care of Yourself
Once the initial dust has settled and you’re left alone in your home, it’s reasonable to expect that you’ll feel a lot of different emotions. Anger, fear, frustration, sadness, and many more will all compete. While you’re feeling all of this, you’ll need to tidy up, call the insurers, and secure your home.
As you can see, this will all take its toll. This is why you need to take care of yourself as well as everything else. Have a friend over to help you, or go and stay somewhere for a few days while professionals clean up the property. Rest and recharge so you can be focused to protect your mental health and to put measures in place to stop this happening again.
