BURGLARY – WHAT SHOULD I DO IF IT HAPPENS TO ME?

Our thoughts are with Ian Wright’s family who went through a terrible ordeal when BURGLED THIS WEEK AT KNIFEPOINT.
 

None of us think it will happen to us. I have two friends who were burgled in the last few weeks alone. Being burgled is bad enough when you’re out or away, but a violent burglary when you’re at home can leave people emotionally scarred for a very long time afterwards. In fact, the British Psychological Society has confirmed from a recent survey that Burglary can damage mental health.

Your home is the one place you should feel safe. Celebrities may even have better security than most home owners, but no matter who you are or where you live or work, there is always a burglar looking for a vulnerable home or business to gain easy access to. Help me, the Burglar Annoyer, to spread the word on how important it is to get someone, ideally an MLAapproved locksmith to check the door locks, windows and perimeter of your home and business premises. You need a check like the one described in our earlier blog post Property Security Survey – What can you Expect?

If you are the victim of a burglary however, what should you do? The first thing is to call the Police by dialling 101 if you are sure the burglar has gone. This is not considered to be an emergency. If however you think the burglar may still be in the property, or somewhere nearby, call 999 as this is an emergency. Wait outside your property in a safe place for the police to arrive. More advice can be found in the Metropolitan Police Burglary Prevention document.

Do not move or disturb anything, especially where the burglar got in or out, unless the Police advise you to do so. If you start tidying up before the Police have been, you could destroy important evidence that could assist in catching the burglar. The Police will give you a crime reference number and keep you informed of any progress through their Witness Care Unit.

You will need to contact your insurance company to get permission to get an insurance approved locksmith to complete any repairs or install new locks, once the Police give you the go ahead to secure the property. Remember, this could take a few days and you may have to leave things undisturbed during that time for evidence to be collected, as mentioned earlier.

Once you have got everything back to some semblance of normality, you may find that the experience of being burgled leaves you emotionally distressed, or you may know someone who’s been a victim of burglary or some other crime that you are concerned about. You can seek help and advice from Victim Support. Their services are free to everyone, whether the crime has been reported or not and regardless of when it took place.

Burglary happened to over 84,000 people in London between April 2013 and April 2014 according to the Metropolitan Police Crime Figures. Please don’t think it won’t happen to you or wait until it does happen. Call us at Security Masters for a FREE home security survey for anyone living in SE, DA and BR postcodes. If you want more information on what our free security check covers, you can read about it in our blog post Property Security Survey – What can you Expect?

Don’t forget, for your added peace of mind, we are also full members of the Master Locksmiths Association. Until next time, please keep your properties and families safe!