Being the victim of a burglary is terrifying, obviously. Is your home safe, you might wonder, or will you be targeted again in the near future, you may ask yourself. There are likely a million thoughts running through your mind, but according to experts like Boulder burglary charge attorney Moorhead Law, you’ve got to try to keep a clear head and take some decisive actions to ensure that the police can start tracking the thieves and you can safeguard your home.
First Things First: Leave The House
More often than not, a burglar comes to your house to steal something quickly and retreat. There is a chance, however, that they could be hanging around with more nefarious intentions in mind, so if you return home and find evidence that someone’s been there without your permission, leave and notify the police immediately. In addition to removing yourself from potential harm’s way, a police report will be necessary for any insurance claims you’re going to make later on, so heading down to the police station should be your first priority.
Make A List Of What’s Missing
Once it’s safe for you to return home, you’ll need to do a little bit of inventory. Survey your home—every room—and list what’s missing. If you’ve already made a list of your possessions, it will be easy to verify what items have been stolen. Even if you haven’t, though, you should still go through this step and attempt to be as meticulous as possible.
Get Some Information
While you might have an initial instinct to start touching things—making sure your most precious valuables are secure—you’re better off not tampering with what could be potential evidence that may lead police to the thieves. You might instead try to get some information from your neighbors, if you have any. They may have seen or heard something suspicious, or know about similar incidents that have happened in the area. Take note of anything they tell you that might be useful, and turn that information over to police so they can investigate.
Call Your Insurer
With your inventory and list of missing items in hand, you’ll be able to report the crime to your insurer, who will then schedule a claims adjuster to evaluate your property and assess what’s missing. Make sure you have photographic evidence to verify your missing items, and also be sure to provide your insurance adjuster with the value of the missing items in question.
Protect Yourself
Chances are you’ll be determined to prevent this from happening again. While there’s no way to absolutely guarantee that your home won’t be robbed, you can take some steps to minimize the likelihood that your home will be targeted, like changing your locks and upgrading your home security system. Other simple steps you can take to avoid tempting burglars from your home include removing anything from the exterior of your house that might attract a thief’s attention, keeping your shrubbery trimmed, and having someone in the house whenever possible to deter outsiders from trying to break in.
