Like most people, you hope you’ll never say, “someone broke into my house.” When you’re away from home, it’s natural to worry that someone may break into your house. In 2019, there were an estimated 1,117,696 burglaries, so it’s not crazy to worry about a break-in. Luckily, with the right preparation, you can help secure your home and lower your risk of a burglary. Read on to learn about what to do if someone breaks into your house and how to prepare your home now with SafeStreets.
What to Do If Someone Breaks Into Your House
If you’re at home and you hear someone inside your home, what do you do? Most of us freeze and aren’t sure what to do next, but you can prepare ahead of time for what you do if your house is broken into. Here are the best steps:
If You Hear a Knock First
It sounds odd, but many home invasions actually begin with a knock on the door. Many burglars knock on the door to see if anyone is home. If nobody answers, they may think the coast is clear and begin their burglary. So what should you do if this happens?
- Answer the door in a way that implies a full house. You can use lines like, “Would somebody get the door?” or create a lot of noise to make the potential burglar think there are a lot of people in the house.
- Set off your SafeStreets ADT-monitored alarm. Sometimes making noise and alerting a burglar to the fact you have an alarm can scare them off before they break in.
- Call the police. If you’re worried about the stranger at your door, call the police and have someone check it out.
Verify Their Presence
If there’s no knock or the burglar is already inside, you’ll want to verify that there is indeed someone inside the house. You’ll need to do this very quickly, but you can use video doorbell footage or other cameras from SafeStreets to help. You’ll also want to make sure you can distinguish the sounds your house makes from those of someone moving in the house.
Determine if You Can Escape
Your first priority is to escape the house quickly and safely. Don’t confront the burglar. Instead, use a backdoor, a window, a fire escape, or anything else to help you get out of the house as quickly and safely as possible. Once you’ve escaped, call 911 immediately.
Stay Calm & Stay Hidden
If you can’t escape, you need to stay hidden. As quietly as you can, you should hide in a bathroom, a bedroom, an office, or any other safe place. Preferably choose a room with a heavy, locking door. If you can’t get somewhere with a locking door, barricade yourself inside as quietly as you can.
Call the Police
Whether you escaped or hidden, you need to call the police to have them respond to the burglary. If you’re hiding, call as quietly as you can to avoid alerting the thief to your location. If you have an iPhone, you can use the emergency iOS options to alert the police silently. You can also text 911 if you live in an area with text services available. If you’re unable to do either of those, speak slowly and quietly, alerting the dispatcher to your location and situation.
Take Inventory
After the police give you permission, you should take inventory of your home. Take photos of where items were stolen or broken. Remember to take photos of broken windows and doors as well. Try not to touch anything because the police may still be collecting evidence. Make a list of everything stolen during the burglary and give copies to the police and your insurance company, and keep a copy for your records.
File an Insurance Claim
As soon as the police finish their report, it’s time to file an insurance claim. Take a copy of the report and your list to your insurance company. A claims adjuster will probably be sent to your home. Be willing to answer any questions they have.
How to Secure Your Home
Before a break in happens, you should take the time to secure your home thoroughly. Here’s your checklist for how to prevent break-ins.
The Checklist
- Secure the doors. A large amount of burglars come through the doors, so don’t give them an easy way in. Install a deadbolt, add a strike plate, use smart locks, and add a video doorbell. If you have a sliding door, add a sturdy rod or dowel to keep someone from easily sliding your door open.
- Secure the windows. Regular window locks aren’t often sturdy enough, so you might consider investing in reinforced locks. You can also add window security film or window bars. You should also add a dowel to keep it from sliding open easily.
- Add lights. Burglars are worried about being seen, so if you add lights to your property, you’ll scare some burglars away. You can add motion activated lights or solar lights to save power yet add the necessary light to your landscape.
- Add a SafeStreets security system. To help properly protect your home, you should have a security system. A security system will help keep your home safe. You can install smart doorbells, cameras, advanced locks, sensors, and more.
One of the most important things you can do to help protect your home is to install the right home security system. Here at SafeStreets, we provide security systems with sensors, cameras, locks, and more. Get a free quote today to get started protecting your home.
