Lockout Tips

If your home has been robbed, you know the feelings of anger and violation. After the initial shock wears off, regain your calm and stay focused. Here’s what to do after you’ve been robbed. Here are some essential ways to deal with it.

You’ve Been Robbed: Safety First, Leave the House

Walking in your home and realizing you were robbed is traumatic, however, you need to realize that the burglar may still be in your home, and you don’t want to confront a criminal. Although this is a rare occurrence, you need to be cautious. The absolute first thing you should do is step outside your house and find a safe place to call the police. Go lock yourself in your car or head over to a trusted neighbor.

Call the Police

As you’re leaving your home, call the police and ask to file a report. Listen carefully to the instructions they will give you and try to remain calm. Police have a standard procedure that they follow when they’re called to the scene of a home robbery. Here is what they will generally do:

• Approach the house quietly
• Create a safe perimeter
• Search the property for signs of forced entry
• Contact the property owner if possible

Take Inventory of Your Losses

To help with your insurance claim, first, make a list of losses and any damages to your property. Go from room to room and make notes of missing items along with anything that was broken or vandalized. Gather some information to organize yourself for the next step in the process, actually contacting your insurance agent to let them know you were robbed. Get a copy of your police report which will have the police report number and the law enforcement agency that took the report as well as the police officer who took the report and the date the report was filed.

Call Your Bank

If you believe that any of your personal information has been compromised, call your bank. You’ll need to cancel or temporarily freeze accounts.

Talk to Your Neighbors

If your neighbor’s home was broken into, wouldn’t you want to be aware? Although it may be painful to rehash the incident, it’s crucial that you let your neighbors know what happened and more importantly if the police know how it happened, share that information too. This way your neighbors can safeguard their own property. Telling your neighbors may actually spark awareness in them. They may remember something that could be helpful to the police.

Secure Your Property

You may be making your home a target for thieves. At 24 HR Lockouts, we can help you better secure your home to prevent a burglary from happening in the first place. We can access your security and look at the quality of your locks. We’ll look at the vulnerable areas such as your sliding glass doors, and garage door and see what you can do to make it safer.