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It’s every homeowner’s nightmare. You arrive home to see your front door has been forced open or a window broken. You can hardly process what’s happened, stressing about what’s missing and the harm done to your home. What can you do? Stay calm, take a breath, and follow these steps after a break-in at your home.  

When you’re ready, learn how to better prevent burglaries with a modern security system.

Immediate Steps After A Burglary

Seeing your house burglarized is traumatic. You may be angry, scared, or simply in disbelief. Whatever the case, it’s important to act rationally by doing the following: 

• Don’t go inside. It might be tempting to go inside to assess the situation. Don’t. There’s a chance a burglar is still present.
• Contact the police at once.  Keep yourself and others safely away and wait until help gets there. Work with law enforcement to make an official report. 
• Avoid touching anything. Let the police secure the scene and collect evidence.  

What Do You Do Next?

You’ve spoken with the police, and your home is clear to re-enter. What should happen next? 

• Cancel credit cards and call banks . If a thief grabbed sensitive documents, purses, or wallets, you’ll wish to notify your credit card issuers and banks at once. It’s a good idea to put a hold on accounts and your credit. You may also request a fraud alert with credit bureaus.
• Reach out to your insurer. Initiate a claim with your insurance company. This should be done within a day of the burglary. 
• Take photos of the damage. Document shattered windows, kicked-in doors, and anything else that’s been damaged.
• Document what was taken. Write down what’s missing and provide it to law enforcement and your insurance provider.
• Secure your home. Make your home safe again by switching out locks, fixing doors and windows, and repairing other damage. If you use a keypad lock, now is the time to reset your access codes.

Cleaning up will bring you some peace and restore a sense of normalcy. After you do so, it’s time to start thinking enhancing your home security.

Evaluate And Upgrade The Security At Your Home

What should you do to prevent another burglary from occurring? Your starting point should be to take stock of your home’s security. An advanced system with these devices will go a long way to keeping your home safe: 

• Surveillance cameras: Nearly every would-be burglar will think twice about breaking in when they observe video cameras. Newer exterior and doorbell cameras provide advanced features like AI-driven smart detection. Whenever there’s unusual activity, you’ll receive a warning. 
• Access-point sensors: All doors and windows (specifically those on the ground level) should be safeguarded by contact or glass-break sensors.
• Smart lights and locks: These automated tools can be operated from anywhere. Concerned you didn’t lock up? You can check and activate the lock from your mobile device. You can even have interior lighting turn on if a camera discovers an unwanted guest.

If you are searching for a connected system that warns you and monitoring agents any time a camera or sensor is tripped, get a package from ADT, your home security professionals. You’ll appreciate the remote access, 24/7 monitoring, and advanced automation.

Prevent Break-Ins With The Leading Home Security Systems

Stop break-ins before they happen with an ADT home security system from Secure 24 Alarm Systems. As your authorized ADT dealer, we install the latest equipment from the most respected name in the business. Learn more about your options by reaching out to (833) 205-9194 or filling out our form today.