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It’s every homeowner’s nightmare. You pull up the driveway and find your front door has been forced open or a window shattered. You can’t think clearly, fretting about what’s been taken and the harm done to your home. What can you do? Remain calm, take a deep breath, and follow these steps after a break-in at your Rockford home.  

Once you have control of the situation, see how to better prevent burglaries with the latest home security system.

Initial Steps After A Burglary

Finding your house has been burglarized is unsettling. You could be upset, frightened, or simply in shock. Regardless, it’s essential to stay level-headed by doing the following: 

• Do not enter. It may be tempting to rush inside to see what happened. Don’t. There’s a risk an intruder is still present.
• Contact the authorities immediately.  Keep yourself and loved ones safely away and wait until help arrives. Work with law enforcement to file a report. 
• Don’t touch a thing. Allow officers take control and gather evidence.  

What Do You Do Next?

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

• Cancel credit cards and alert your bank . If an intruder stole personal documents, purses, or wallets, you’ll wish to alert your credit card issuers and banks immediately. It’s a good idea to lock accounts and your credit. You may also place a fraud alert with credit bureaus.
• Contact your insurance company. Initiate a claim with your insurer. This should be done within a day of the break-in. 
• Take pictures of damage. Document shattered windows, forced doors, and any other damage you see.
• Document what was taken. Create a record of what’s missing and provide it to law enforcement and your insurance company.
• Secure your house. Make your home safe again by replacing locks, fixing windows and doors, and taking care of other damage. If you utilize a keypad lock system, now is the time to update your access codes.

Tidying up will help ease your mind and restore a sense of normalcy. After you’re done, it’s time to consider upgrading your home security.

Strengthen The Security At Your Rockford Home

What should you do to prevent another burglary from occurring? Your first step should be to assess your home security. An advanced system with these tools will work wonders in strengthening your home’s protection: 

• Video cameras: Nearly all would-be burglars will hesitate when they observe surveillance cameras. Modern exterior and doorbell cameras offer advanced functionality like AI-driven smart detection. When there’s unusual activity, you’ll be sent a notification. 
• Access-point sensors: All doors and windows (particularly those on the ground level) should be shielded by glass-break or contact sensors.
• Smart lights and locks: These automated components can be controlled from anywhere. Concerned you forgot to secure your door? You can check and engage the lock from your smartphone. You can even have inside lighting switch on if a camera discovers someone lurking.

If you are looking for a modern system that alerts you and monitoring staff any time a device is triggered, consider a package from the home security experts at ADT. You’ll enjoy the mobile access, 24/7 monitoring, and custom automation.

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

Stop intrusions from happening with an ADT home security system in Rockford from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As your authorized ADT dealer, we install the latest equipment from the top name in the business. Discover your options by dialing (815) 242-2899 or filling out our form today.