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It’s every family’s nightmare. You pull in the driveway and find your front door is wide open or a window smashed. You can’t think straight, fretting about what’s been taken and the harm done to your home. What will you do? Remain calm, take a deep breath, and follow our recommendations after a break-in at your Erie home.  

When things get back to normal, see how to better prevent break-ins with an advanced security system.

Initial Steps After A Burglary

Finding your house has been burglarized is unsettling. You may be shaken, upset, or just in shock. Regardless, it’s essential to respond rationally by doing the following: 

• Do not enter. It might be tempting to run inside to look around. Don’t. There’s a chance an intruder is still present.
• Contact the police immediately.  Keep yourself and family members at a safe distance and hold tight until help get there. Work with law enforcement to make an official report. 
• Don’t touch a thing. Let officers take over and gather evidence.  

What Should You Do Next?

You’ve filed a report with law enforcement, and it’s safe to go back inside. What should happen next? 

• Alert your bank and credit card issuers . If a burglar grabbed purses, wallets, or personal documents, you’ll want to contact your credit card issuers and banks at once. It’s smart to freeze accounts and your credit. You can also request a fraud alert with the major credit bureaus.
• Call your insurance company. File a claim with your insurance company. This should be done within one day of the break-in. 
• Take photos of the damage. Document smashed windows, kicked-in doors, and all other obvious damage.
• Document what was taken. Make a list of what’s been stolen and provide it to law enforcement and your Insurer.
• Secure your property. Get your home secured by switching out locks, fixing windows and doors, and taking care of other damage. If you utilize a digital lock, now is the time to change your access codes.

Tidying up will do wonders for your stress and restore a sense of normalcy. Once you do, it’s time to consider improving your home security.

Evaluate And Upgrade Your Erie Home’s Security

How can you prevent this from happening again? Your initial step should be to assess your home’s security. An advanced system with the following equipment will work wonders in better protecting your home: 

• Video cameras: Nearly every trespasser will hesitate when they see surveillance cameras. Modern exterior and doorbell cameras provide advanced features like smart detection. When there’s questionable activity, you’ll be sent a warning. 
• Entry-point sensors: All doors and windows (specifically those on the ground level) should be protected by contact or glass-break sensors.
• Smart locks and lights: These automated devices can be operated from anywhere. Concerned you forgot to secure your door? You can verify and engage the lock directly from your phone. You can even have interior lighting go on if a camera discovers someone lurking.

If you want a connected system that alerts you and monitoring representatives whenever a camera or sensor is triggered, look into a package from ADT, your home security experts. You’ll benefit from remote access, 24/7 monitoring, and advanced automation.

Stop Break-Ins With The Leading Home Security Systems In Erie

Stop burglaries at your property with an ADT home security system in Erie from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As an authorized ADT dealer, we install advanced equipment from the most respected name in the business. Explore your options by reaching out to (814) 212-8989 or filling out our form today.