What to do if your house has been burgled
Having your home broken into and burgled can be extremely traumatic. The loss of personal, often irreplaceable items – not to mention the invasion of privacy – is unsettling to say the least. But there are a few things you can do to make it easier to deal with, and easier to prevent in the future.
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If you’re unfortunate enough to be a victim of a burglary, here are some tips to help you through it:
- Try and stay calm
- If you haven’t entered your house yet, but can tell there’s been a break in, resist the temptation to go inside – the burglar may still be there
- Call the police straight away
- They’ll be understanding and able to advise you of what to do next.
- If you don’t have a mobile phone handy, ask a neighbour if you can use their phone
- Secure your property, particularly if burglars broke their way in.
- Your insurance company may be able to help
- Ask your neighbours if they saw anybody acting suspiciously around your home
- If you have an insurance policy with Tower, contact us on 0800 379 372
- Take some time in the days after the burglary to re-evaluate security around your home.
- Change or install locks on your windows and doors, and consider installing a burglar alarm if you don’t have one already – it might also mean a discount on your insurance.
- Get to know your neighbours and let them know when you’re going away on holidays or for extended periods of time.
Like many things in life, it’s better to be safe than sorry. While it’s impossible to make your home completely burglar-proof, taking the right steps can help reduce the likelihood of a burglary and leave you better protected.
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