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What To Do if Your Home Is Broken Into

Having your home broken into is a legal and emotional violation.

All of our content is written by humans, not robots. Learn More
By
&
Gabe Turner
Gabe Turner Chief Editor
Last Updated Jun 8, 2024

We’re not going to sugarcoat it – getting your home broken into is one of the scariest, most traumatic experiences a homeowner can go through. It’s unsettling to know that a stranger entered your personal space and went through your stuff. And recovering from that feeling isn’t easy.

At the same time, though, a break-in doesn’t spell the end of the world. Now, we’re not saying that to undermine your loss; what we mean is that you can make the recovery process easier and prevent more break-ins in the future. Keep reading as we discuss insights from our in-house security experts on what to do if your home is broken into.

What To Do if Your Home Is Broken Into

First of all, don’t panic. Although you may feel out of control, you need a level mind to effectively deal with such a gut-wrenching situation. We know; it’s easier said than done. Take a few deep breaths and once you’re calm (as possibly can be in your situation), read and follow the expert-recommended steps below.

Home Burglary

1. Leave Your Home and Find a Safe Place.

Right after you’ve discovered a home burglary, leave your home and find a safe place to be. Usually, that place is a neighbor’s house, since it’s near and there are people there that know you and can help you. It’s best to flee the scene, assuming none of your family members are home. If they are, get them out of the house as quietly as possible or if you have reason to believe the burglar is still there, find a way to contact them without raising any alarms and have them lock themselves in a room or somewhere safe. Our tips for surviving a home invasion might help.

2. Call the Police.

Once you’ve ensured your safety, call the police. The quicker you can get them on the scene, the better. We’ve learned through research and experience that the police typically respond faster to verified reports of crime, so provide as much information as you can.

3. Don’t Touch Anything.

Before the police arrive, though, make sure not to touch or move anything, even if it’s broken. Right now, your home has all the evidence, and moving anything could compromise a criminal investigation.

4. File a Report.

Once you’re back in your home, figure out what items were broken or stolen. Take pictures, document everything, and view any security camera footage, if available. The police officers can use all of this information to investigate the crime.

TIP: Be sure to check your medicine cabinets for missing prescriptions, a common item stolen during home burglaries.

5. Call Your Insurance Company.

File a claim with your renters or homeowners insurance company. If you own your home, make sure you have your proof-of-ownership documents handy, along with all the evidence you’ve collected.

6. Call Your Bank.

Often in home burglaries, the burglar will steal credit cards or personally identifiable information from important documents. To make sure your identity hasn’t been stolen, contact your bank and verify that your financial records are safe. For more security, change your passwords and PINs. Next, invest in an identity theft protection service to protect yourself in the future.

7. Contact Credit-Reporting Bureaus.

In the same vein, make sure that your credit hasn’t been compromised. You can either contact each major credit bureau directly using the below information or sign up for credit reporting. We recommend placing a security alert on your account to prevent unauthorized use of your credit report.

Credit bureau URL Phone
Equifax https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ 800-685-1111
Experian https://www.experian.com/help/ 888-397-3742
TransUnion https://www.transunion.com/credit-help 888-909-8872

8. Clean up Signs of Break-In.

Restoring your home, from broken doors and windows to missing or damaged property, will give you and your family more peace of mind and a sense of normalcy.

9. Secure Your Home.

Now, it’s time to prevent (or at least decrease the likelihood) of future break-ins. We recommend using the following:

10. Take Care.

Burglary affects more than your property; it can also affect you emotionally, along with your family and pets. Take the steps you need to recover emotionally from your burglary, as well as physically and financially. That may involve speaking to a therapist or just having a family meeting to get your feelings out.

In speaking with burglary victims, we’ve learned that regaining that lost sense of security is also important. And for many of them, taking physical proactive measures helped. Here’s what one of the victims we interviewed said:

“I have never had a security system in my life, but that break-in completely changed my outlook and forced me to rethink how I view home security. I thought locking doors, keeping lights on, and having a guard dog was enough. I was wrong. After my home was broken into, I didn’t feel safe enough to sleep in my own house until I got an alarm system and security cameras. I also installed door braces.”

11. Alert Your Neighbors.

Want to be a good neighbor? Let them know of your burglary. Your neighbors should know about your burglary, as burglars tend to rob multiple homes within the same neighborhood. You can either call your neighbors on the phone, reach out on social media, or use an app like Nextdoor for your communication.

How Do Burglars Choose Houses?

Some homes are more at risk of burglary than others. In a study from the University of North Carolina’s Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, over 400 convicted burglars explained how they choose which houses to rob. First, they decided which houses not to rob based on deterrents such as these:

  • Traffic
  • The proximity of neighbors and police
  • Whether someone is home
  • Indicators of security systems, like signage and surveillance cameras

>> Related reading: Surviving a Home Invasion

In fact, 60 percent of burglars said that if they found an alarm, they would choose another home. If they found an alarm during the burglary, half would discontinue the attempt,1 proving that home security systems can prevent burglaries from happening in the first place.

Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro
Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro

Do Burglars Target the Same House?

The UNC study also found more troubling information: If you’ve been burgled before, it’s more likely that you’ll be burgled again. Many burglars rob the same houses multiple times, especially if they’re in low-traffic areas without any visible surveillance equipment. That’s one of the reasons it’s important to take preventative security measures to let burglars know what they’re up against.

NOTE: Security systems with 24/7 professional monitoring provide the best coverage for homes, especially if the resident is away frequently.

Home Burglary Statistics

These are the most recent (2019) FBI findings on burglaries:

  • There were an estimated 1,117,6969 burglaries in 2019.
  • The estimated number of burglaries decreased by nearly 10 percent from 2018 to 2019.
  • The average dollar loss per burglary incident was $2,661.
  • 56 percent of burglaries involved forcible entry, while 38 percent involved unlawful entries. Only 7 percent of burglars attempted forcible entries unsuccessfully, meaning that most forcible entries were successful.2

In our own research on package theft, a common form of home burglary, we found that 4 in 10 people have had a package stolen. Also, package theft increases during Prime Day and other sales holidays as e-commerce rises.

Recap

Although you may have been a victim of home burglary in the past, you can take certain steps to reduce the likelihood of being a victim in the future. Aside from locking your doors and windows, installing a home security system with cameras is your best bet. Learn more about what a home security system is and more home security tips on how to protect your home from invasion.

FAQs

Thankfully, home burglaries are becoming less and less common. However, we still get a ton of questions about them, which we’ve answered below.

  • What do you do if your house gets broken into?

    Follow these steps if your home gets broken into:

    1. Leave your home and go to a safe place.
    2. Once you return, don’t touch anything.
    3. Call the police and file a report.
    4. Take an inventory of stolen and damaged items.
    5. View video surveillance footage, if available.
    6. Take pictures.
    7. Document everything.
    8. Hand over all evidence to the police.
    9. Follow up with the police.
    10. File a claim with your home insurance company.
    11. Call your bank to ensure that your financial records are safe.
    12. Change your bank PINs.
    13. Contact the three major credit-reporting agencies and ask them to place security alerts on your credit reports.
    14. Clean up signs of the break-in and replace missing items.
    15. Secure your home with security systems, cameras, etc.
    16. Care for yourself, your family, and your pets.
    17. Alert your neighbors of the break-in.
  • Do burglars return to the same house?

    Unfortunately, yes, burglars often return to the same house multiple times, according to a study from the University of North Carolina.

  • Should I call the police if someone tried to break into my house?

    Yes, you should call the police if someone tried to break into your house. Hand over any video or photo evidence you have of the attempted break-in to assist with the investigation.

  • How do burglars enter homes?

    Most burglars enter homes through main entry points like side and front doors and windows on the first floor, according to a study from the University of North Carolina.

  • What is the first rule of fire safety?

    The first rule of fire safety is to get out, stay out, and call for help.

Citations
  1. ResearchGate. (2012). Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender's Perspective.
    researchgate.net/publication/268444817_Understanding_Decisions_to_Burglarize_from_the_Offender%27s_Perspective

  2. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2021). Burglary.
    ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/burglary