Six Actions to Take When Your Home Has Been Burgled

Coming home to discover your house has been burgled can be an incredibly distressing and frustrating experience. However, there’s things you can do to minimise damage and improve your home security for the future. Read on to discover the six crucial actions you should take in the event of a burglary.



Call the police

The moment you work out your home has been burgled, call 101. The police will give you a Crime Reference Number which you’ll need for any contents insurance claim you make. For a text-phone, the number is 18001 101.

However it’s important to note that if a burglary is in progress, call 999 for your own safety. Try to stay calm and the police will be with you as soon as possible.

Don’t touch anything

It might be tempting to start moving things around and cleaning up any mess made by the intruder - however, this is something to be avoided, as you may be compromising evidence. The police will need fingerprints and a preserved crime scene to increase their chance of catching the criminal.

What you should do instead is to take several photographs - broken doors and windows, empty spaces where property has been taken, etc. This can help simplify the process of making an insurance claim.

Cancel any stolen cards

If you notice or suspect any missing cards or important financial documents, contact your bank or building society immediately. It’s also a good idea to call your finance providers if you’ve lost phones, tablets or laptops that had bank account details and logins on them.

Make an inventory

You should collect any evidence you have about items taken from your property, such as receipts, photographs or valuations. It will help any insurance claim if you can provide an estimate of things stolen or damaged. Don’t dispose of anything that might be needed for inspection by your insurer.

Items most at risk of theft include:

●     Purses, wallets, money and cards

●     Computer equipment

●     Jewellery and watches

●     Electrical items, such as cameras.

●     From outbuildings, sheds and domestic workshops, tools and work materials are most often taken.

Contact your insurer

You’ll need to call your insurance company as soon as possible with a list of what’s been stolen. The police will give you a Crime Reference Number, which you’ll also need to give to your insurance provider when you contact them.

Invest in an intruder alarm

Sometimes, intruders may come back for a second attempt. It’s important to make sure you are protected this time and have robust security systems in place. You’ll also want some peace of mind for the future. An intruder alarm is a great way to protect yourself from people who want to enter your home illegally and it’s additionally a great deterrent - burglars will be put off from attempting a break-in.

Intruder alarms are a vital component of your home security systems. They detect intruders and reduce the risk of security breaches and burglaries. The high-tech systems from Ace Fire & Security Are designed to integrate effortlessly with your other devices, giving you a secure, complete solution for your home or business premises. For more information on our burglar alarms, get in touch with us today.