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A break-in can leave you feeling shaken, exposed and unsure where to start. Knowing what to do after a break in helps you protect your household, preserve evidence and get your property secure again without making rushed decisions.
The priority is not to fix everything at once. First make sure everyone is safe, then report the incident, protect the scene and arrange the repairs needed to make the property secure.
What to Do After a Break In: Your First Priorities
If you arrive home and believe someone may still be inside, do not go in. Move to a safe place, such as a neighbour’s house or your car at a safe distance, and call 999. The same applies if you can see an intruder, hear movement inside or feel that there is an immediate risk to anyone nearby.
If it is clear the intruder has gone, try not to touch anything unnecessarily. It is natural to want to check every room or start clearing up straight away, but disturbed items, broken glass, tools or entry points may be useful evidence. Call the police on 101 to report a non-emergency burglary, or use the appropriate reporting route if advised by the police.
While you wait, keep children, pets and visitors away from damaged doors, windows and affected rooms. Broken glass, splintered timber and damaged locks can cause injury, particularly when you are distracted or upset.
Preserve Evidence Without Putting Yourself at Risk
The police will advise you on what they need, but a few sensible steps can help. Avoid cleaning up, replacing locks or moving items until you have reported the burglary and received guidance. If the police do not need to attend, ask for a crime reference number and confirm whether you can begin securing the property.
Take clear photographs of visible damage before repairs begin. Include the outside of the door or window, close-ups of the lock or frame, and wider photographs that show where the damage is located. Photograph missing or damaged belongings where possible, but do not spend hours trying to produce a perfect inventory while you are still in shock.
Make a simple written note of what you notice: when you last left the property secure, when you discovered the break-in, which doors or windows appear affected, and anything that seems to be missing. CCTV footage from your home, a neighbour’s camera or a nearby business may be time-sensitive, so ask whether it can be saved promptly.
Make the Property Safe That Same Day
A burglary does not always involve a broken lock. An unlocked window, a forced rear door, a snapped cylinder or a damaged frame can all leave a home vulnerable to a second attempt. Even if the lock still turns, it may no longer be secure.
Once the police have said you may proceed, arrange for the access point to be assessed and secured. This could mean repairing or replacing a lock, fitting a temporary lock, boarding a broken window or door panel, or repairing damage to a uPVC door mechanism. If the door will not close or lock properly, do not leave the property unattended until it has been made safe.
A local locksmith can check more than the most obvious fault. For example, forced entry through a euro cylinder can damage the handle, gearbox or door alignment as well as the cylinder itself. Replacing only the visible part may not solve the underlying problem. Equally, a good locksmith should not recommend replacing every lock as a default. The right work depends on how entry was gained, whether keys were taken and the condition of the existing doors and windows.
If keys were stolen, replace or rekey the relevant locks even if there is no visible damage. A burglar who has your keys may know where you live from documents, labels or items taken from the property. This is especially relevant if car keys, house keys, a wallet, personal paperwork or work identification have gone missing.
Contact Your Insurer and Keep a Clear Record
Tell your home insurer about the burglary as soon as reasonably possible. Most insurers will ask for the crime reference number, a list of stolen or damaged items, photographs and details of emergency repairs. Keep invoices for locksmith work, boarding and replacement locks, as these may be needed for your claim.
Before throwing away damaged locks, doors, packaging or other relevant items, check whether your insurer wants photographs or an inspection. In many cases, urgent work to secure the home is expected and sensible, but it is still worth keeping a record of the condition before repairs.
Be accurate rather than speculative when listing missing possessions. Start with high-value and identifiable items such as jewellery, electronics, bicycles, watches, passports and tools. Serial numbers, receipts, original boxes and old photographs can all help establish ownership. If you discover further losses later, add them to your report and insurer claim as instructed.
Check Digital Security Too
A physical break-in can create digital risks, particularly if a phone, laptop, tablet, post, bank card or identity documents were taken. Change passwords for email accounts first, then banking, shopping and social media accounts. Email access is particularly valuable to criminals because it can be used to reset other passwords.
Contact your bank immediately if cards, cheque books, devices or financial paperwork are missing. Notify your mobile provider if a phone was stolen, and consider placing extra checks on accounts where personal information may have been compromised.
If a laptop or phone has location tracking, do not try to recover it yourself. Pass any location information to the police. Your safety matters more than the device.
Review How Entry Was Gained
After the immediate repairs, take a calm look at the property from the outside. The aim is not to make your home look like a fortress, but to remove easy opportunities and make forced entry more difficult.
Check whether the door frame, hinges, letterbox, handles and lock all work properly. On uPVC doors, make sure the door is lifted into position and fully locked whenever you leave. A poorly aligned door can place pressure on the mechanism and prevent the lock from engaging as intended.
Windows deserve the same attention. Ground-floor, rear and side windows are common weak points, particularly where a window lock is faulty or a key has been left nearby. Repair damaged window locks and avoid leaving keys in an easily reachable position. If you have a shed, garage or side gate, check those too. Tools stored outside can be used to force entry into the house.
Lighting, visible alarms, secure gates and sensible storage for bins and ladders may also help. Their value depends on the layout of your property and how the burglary happened. A locksmith can offer practical advice on locks and physical security, while an alarm or CCTV specialist can advise on electronic systems where appropriate.
If You Rent or Manage a Property
Tenants should report the break-in to the police and inform their landlord or letting agent promptly, particularly where doors, windows or locks are damaged. If the property cannot be secured, emergency repair should not wait for normal office hours. Keep copies of all messages, crime references and repair invoices.
Landlords should treat damaged access points as urgent. A tenant should not be expected to stay in a property with a door that will not lock or a smashed accessible window. Once the immediate issue is resolved, review whether other external locks need maintenance or upgrading across the property.
For business owners, consider who may have had access to keys, fobs, alarm codes, stock areas and confidential records. A burglary at commercial premises may call for lock changes, restricted key control, access-code changes and a review of internal doors, cabinets and shutters.
Choose Repairs That Give You Confidence
After a break-in, people are understandably vulnerable to pressure selling. Ask what has failed, why it needs repair or replacement, and what options are available. You should receive clear pricing and a straightforward explanation before non-emergency work goes ahead.
Look for a local locksmith who can attend quickly, assess the full entry point and carry out only the work needed to make the property secure. At SJ Locksmiths Bromley, the focus is on calm, honest advice and practical repairs, whether that means non-destructive lock work, a replacement lock or emergency boarding after damage.
The days after a burglary can feel unsettled, even once the door is fixed. Give yourself permission to take security concerns seriously, ask questions about the work being done and make small changes that help your home feel like yours again.
