Guide
What to Do After a Burglary: The First Hours, Days and Weeks Ahead
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Start Here: The First Hour
Whether anyone could still be in the house decides which number you ring. If there is any chance they are, the call is 999. If the house is empty and whoever did this has gone, report it on 101 or online instead. Everything else on this page can wait until that call has been made, and most of it is simpler than it looks.
If You Think Someone Is Still Inside
Do not go in. If you have already stepped through the door and realised, walk straight back out. Ring 999 from a neighbour's house, the street or your car, and stay on the line if the operator asks you to.
When the House Is Empty and the Burglar Has Gone
Use 101 or the online form and ask for a crime reference number. A quick look round first means you can say which rooms were entered.
What Not to Do Until the Police Have Been
Leave the point of entry and anything clearly handled where it is. Photograph what was disturbed before you move it.
The first hour in five lines
- Call the police: 999 if someone may be inside, otherwise 101.
- Keep out of the rooms that have been disturbed.
- Write down anything you can see is missing.
- If bank cards are gone, ring your bank's lost or stolen line.
- Make the house secure once the police say you can.
What You Can Use as Normal, and What the Police Need You to Leave Alone
The useful half of the rule first: door handles and light switches away from the entry point can be used normally. That is police guidance, and it is the same whether or not a crime scene investigator is booked to attend. The half that asks something of you is short. Keep the entry point untouched until police say work can begin; where possible, avoid touching or cleaning fluids such as blood, footprints, and anything handled by whoever was responsible.
| Use normally | Leave untouched |
|---|---|
| Lights and switches | Forced locks, doors and windows |
| Handles on doors other than the entry point | Footprints inside or on sills |
| Kettle, sink, toilet | Fluids |
| Furniture in rooms not entered | Jewellery boxes, drawers or bags they went through |
What You Can Touch, and Use as Normal
Nobody expects you to keep the house dark and the doors shut. Ordinary household surfaces are low value as evidence because everyone touches them.
Until the Police Have Finished, What to Leave Untouched
These are the ones the intruder touched and your family does not. If you cannot tell whether something was handled, leave it and tell the officer.
If You Have To, How to Move Things Safely
Once police allow movement, photograph, then glove up. Police guidance singles out smooth or shiny surfaces such as plastic, metal, glass and treated wood, because marks survive on them. A phone photo is good enough, and so are rubber gloves from under the sink.
Can the Door Be Repaired Before the Insurer Has Seen It?
Yes. After police permission, photograph the damage and make the house secure without waiting for the insurer. Photographs record the damage but do not authorise repairs; police must allow work to begin, and the Association of British Insurers' theft guidance says "Your insurance policy will usually cover you for any emergency repairs you make following an incident." The word usually is deliberate, and cover varies by policy. If a door or pane needs it, read about how to board up a damaged door or window.
Before Anything Is Repaired, Photograph the Damage
They should show the damaged door or window in context and in detail: frame, lock, marks and broken glass. If temporary work is done, photograph the result too, so the record shows what was changed.
Emergency Repairs: What Your Policy Usually Covers
Typical examples are boarding a broken panel, refitting or replacing a lock that was forced and securing a window. Before booking anyone, ask your insurer what the policy requires; some policies with home emergency cover want their own contractor to attend.
The Paperwork to Keep That Your Insurer Will Ask For
Store the crime reference number, photographs, receipts and a note of who you spoke to. If a tradesperson replaces the lock, keep the old one: it shows forced entry.
Tonight, in order 1. Photograph every part of the damage. 2. Lock or board the opening only after police give permission. 3. Keep the receipt for the work.
Reporting the Burglary and Getting Your Crime Reference Number
The crime reference number is the key the insurer will ask for before it reads anything else in your claim. Think of it as the receipt for your report. Whichever way you contact the police, make sure you leave with it, and if it has not arrived when you expected, ask rather than wait. Keeping it alongside your policy number, as Neighbourhood Watch advises, saves hunting for it later.
999, 101 or Online: Which Route Applies
| Route | When it applies |
|---|---|
| 999 | The burglary is in progress or the suspect is still at the scene |
| 101 | The burglar has gone and nobody is in danger |
| Online report | As for 101; police guidance says it is dealt with the same way |
An open police station can take a report in person too.
After You Report It: What Happens
The police assess each report on the vulnerability of the victim, the seriousness of the crime, the likelihood of solving it and the best use of their resources. You will hear from them whichever way that falls. If they cannot investigate, they will tell you why. If they can, an investigating officer will be assigned and will keep you updated, so add that officer's name to your notes.
What to Gather and What to Expect for Your Insurance Claim
A burglary claim rests on the crime reference number, a list of what was stolen and proof of what it was worth. The process is mostly paperwork, so the effort you put into the list is the effort that pays. Damage to doors and windows may come under buildings insurance, and possessions under contents insurance; your schedule shows which, along with any excess.
Build the List of What Was Taken
Be methodical: one room, then the next. Record make, model, approximate age and serial numbers, plus any distinguishing marks. Search for receipts and order confirmations online, and look through photographs taken in the house that show items in the background. A list that grows over a fortnight is normal, and an insurer would rather receive additions than a rewritten claim.
What Is a Loss Adjuster Looking For?
Insurers sometimes appoint a loss adjuster to assess larger claims. Their questions are about evidence: was the theft reported, how was entry gained, what was taken and can ownership be shown. Some policies include security conditions about locks on external doors and windows, and an adjuster may ask what was fitted. Requirements vary by insurer, door type and policy.
Criminal Injuries Scheme Compensation: What It Does and Does Not Cover
It covers injury, not property. If no one was home, the claim belongs with your insurer. If someone present was injured, they may be eligible, as long as the crime was reported to the police first. GOV.UK has the rules.
Making Sure Your Home Is Secure Again
A door and window that lock properly tonight, and keys you can account for, one by one: that is what securing the house means. In practice there are two jobs. The first is repairing what was damaged. The second is restoring control of the keys, and it is the one most likely to be missed, because once the door closes it feels finished. For the repair side, read about burglary damage repairs.
Why the Damaged Door Matters Less Than Changing the Locks
Even a perfect repair leaves the old cylinder in place, and the old cylinder still opens for any key that walked out of the house. On a uPVC or composite door, the euro cylinder can usually be swapped by itself. There is more on how to.
Missing Spare Keys and Who Else Holds One
List each external door, the keys for it and the person holding each. Try to see every one today. If one is unaccounted for, treat it as gone. That applies even when nothing of value was taken.
Telling Your Landlord or Housing Provider If You Rent
If you rent, tell your landlord or housing provider once you have reported to the police; tenancy agreements usually require prompt reporting of damage. Doors, windows and locks are normally theirs to repair, and your contents insurance is yours. Agree any lock change before it happens.
The Weeks After: Feeling Settled at Home Again
The practical jobs end well before the house feels settled, and that gap is common and nothing unusual. You will have a repaired door and a claim number some time before you stop noticing the door. This section keeps things plain: who can help if you want it, and a few small, practical things around the house that people find worthwhile.
Available Support, and How to Get It
Victim Support helps after any burglary, whatever was taken and whether or not anyone was hurt. Children and other members of the household can be part of that support. If talking about it feels like too much, ringing for help with an insurance form is a fine way to start. Independent Age supports older people, and a GP is another person to speak to.
Practical Changes That Help a House Feel Settled
Stay with a few simple things rather than a long upgrade list. Swap a forced lock for a new one, even if it was repaired. Walk round and check that each external door and window locks properly. Get every key back to a known set. Do these when it suits you; nothing here is urgent. The guides on which door locks meet insurance requirements and anti-snap cylinders carry the technical detail.
Your Rights Under the Victims' Code as a Victim
Anyone who reports a crime in England and Wales has twelve rights under the Victims' Code, from the point the report is made. Burglary victims are included, though few are told. Victim Support summarises the Code in plain language. Rather than all twelve, it is worth knowing the five that come up after a break-in, because each one gives you something concrete to ask for instead of waiting to be contacted.
Right Now, the Rights That Matter Most
First, the right to have the crime recorded without unjustified delay. Second, the right to information when you report it, which includes the reference number. Third, the right to be referred to services that support victims, tailored to what you need. Fourth, the right to information about the investigation, so asking for an update is an entitlement rather than a nuisance. Fifth, the right to complain when any of these are not met. Where a decision is made not to proceed, the Victims' Right to Review scheme may allow it to be reconsidered.
How to Get Referred to Victim Support
Asking for a referral is one of your rights, not a favour. The police can make it, or you can refer yourself. Victim Support is free, independent of the police, and helps with practical things such as insurance paperwork as well as offering emotional support; in some areas it can also help make a home secure. Its website lists current contact details.
In Farnborough, Getting Your Home Secure
The work covers three jobs: boarding up a forced door or broken window, repairing or replacing a lock that was forced, and fitting new cylinders where a key is missing. Wilds Locksmiths Farnborough answers calls around the clock, every day of the year, bank holidays included. Every engineer is DBS-checked. You pay for the work carried out, any parts needed, and VAT. Rates outside Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, are higher, but the call-out itself is never charged. If anything found on site would change the agreed price, you are told before the work starts.
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There is more about an emergency locksmith call-out on its own page, or you can talk to a Farnborough locksmith about your door.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to report a burglary to the police?
You will generally need to report the break-in if you plan to claim for stolen belongings. An insurer often wants a police report to substantiate the theft. It will also commonly ask for the crime reference number early in the claims process.
Can I clean up after a burglary?
Use the rooms as usual only when it is safe to be inside, keeping clear of the entry point. Cleaning or handling that door or window must wait for the police to say work may begin.
Should I change my locks after a burglary?
Yes, when you cannot establish where all the keys are. Someone who has taken a key retains access through the old cylinder, even with the damage repaired. A qualified locksmith can fit a replacement, addressing the missing key as well as the door's condition.
Will my insurance pay for the emergency door repair?
The usual answer is yes, based on guidance from the Association of British Insurers. However, emergency repairs to a door depend on the insurance you hold. Different insurers and policies offer different cover, and the level selected also affects whether the repair falls within it.
How do I find someone trustworthy to make the house secure?
Look for a locksmith who explains the charge during the phone call. Any change should be made clear before the work begins. Ask how out-of-hours charging works as well. Straightforward information on all three points gives you something concrete to assess when choosing a business.
Can I claim criminal injuries compensation for stolen property?
No, this compensation route is not available for stolen possessions. Criminal injuries compensation does not provide a way to claim for property lost through theft. If it is the missing belongings you want to claim for, they are not covered under that scheme.
I rent my home. Who pays for the broken door and lock?
Responsibility for the external door and its lock usually rests with your landlord. Windows are normally included in that responsibility too. Your contents cover deals with belongings, so distinguish the damage to those parts of the property from the loss of anything you keep inside.
Still have a question or need urgent assistance? Call 01252 493213, tell us what has happened and receive a current arrival estimate.