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It’s every family’s nightmare. You pull in the driveway to see your front door has been kicked in or a window smashed. You can’t think straight, fretting about what’s been stolen and the damage to your home. What should you do? Remain calm, take a deep breath, and follow our recommendations after a break-in at your San Francisco home.  

When things calm down, explore how to better prevent intrusions with a modern security system.

Immediate Steps After A Burglary

Seeing your house burglarized is traumatizing. You may be scared, furious, or simply in disbelief. Regardless, it’s important to respond rationally by doing the following: 

• Do not enter. It’s not surprising that you want to go inside to assess the situation. Don’t. There’s a possibility a burglar is still inside.
• Contact the authorities right away.  Keep yourself and family members safely away and hold tight until help arrives. Work with the police to file a report. 
• Don’t touch a thing. Let the police secure the scene and gather evidence.  

What Do You Do Next?

You’ve completed a report with the authorities, and your home is clear to re-enter. What should you do next? 

• Alert your bank and credit card issuers . If a burglar snagged wallets, purses, or sensitive information, you’ll wish to contact your credit card issuers and banks immediately. It’s a good idea to freeze accounts and your credit. You may also request a fraud alert with credit bureaus.
• Call your insurance company. Initiate a claim with your insurance company. This needs to be done within 24 hours of the break-in. 
• Take photos of the damage. Document broken windows, kicked-in doors, and any other damage you find.
• Inventory stolen goods. Make a list of what’s missing and provide it to the police and your insurance provider.
• Secure your property. Restore your home’s security by switching out locks, fixing windows and doors, and taking care of other damage. If you use a digital lock, now is the time to reset your codes.

Cleaning up will do wonders for your stress and make things feel normal. After you do so, it’s time to start thinking improving your home security.

Strengthen The Security At Your San Francisco Home

What can you do to prevent another burglary from happening? Your initial step should be to take stock of your home’s security. A new system with these tools will work wonders in strengthening your home’s protection: 

• Security cameras: Nearly every trespasser will think twice about breaking in when they observe security cameras. Newer outdoor and doorbell cameras offer advanced features like smart detection. Any time there’s questionable activity, you’ll receive 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 lighting: These automated tools can be controlled from anywhere. Worried you neglected to lock up? You can confirm and engage the lock directly from your mobile device. You can even have inside lighting switch on if a camera spots someone lurking.

If you want a modern system that warns you and monitoring staff any time a camera or sensor is triggered, consider a package from ADT, your home security leaders. You’ll enjoy the mobile access, 24/7 monitoring, and custom automation.

Prevent Break-Ins With The Top Home Security Systems In San Francisco

Stop burglaries at your property with an ADT home security system in San Francisco from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As your trusted ADT dealer, we install the latest equipment from the industry leader. Discover your options by reaching out to (415) 966-3602 or filling out our form today.