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It’s every resident’s nightmare. You return home to see your front door is wide open or a window shattered. You can’t think straight, fretting about what’s been taken and the harm done to your property. What will you do? Remain calm, take a deep breath, and follow these steps after a break-in at your Cedar Rapids home.  

Once things are under control, explore how to better prevent burglaries with the latest home security system.

Immediate Steps After A Burglary

Finding your house has been burglarized is unsettling. You may be frightened, furious, or just in shock. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s important to stay level-headed by doing the following: 

• Do not enter. It may be tempting to go inside to assess the situation. Don’t. There’s a risk a burglar is still on site.
• Call the police right away.  Keep yourself and loved ones at a safe distance and wait for first responders. Work with the authorities to file a report. 
• Avoid touching anything. Let the police secure the premises and collect evidence.  

What Are The Next Steps?

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

• Alert your bank and credit card companies . If a thief grabbed personal records, purses, or wallets, you’ll want to notify your credit card companies and banks at once. It’s wise to freeze accounts and your credit. You can also add a fraud alert with the three main credit bureaus.
• Contact your insurer. Initiate a claim with your insurance company. You should do so within a day of the incident. 
• Take photos of the damage. Document smashed windows, kicked-in doors, and anything else that’s been damaged.
• Document what was taken. Create a record of what’s been stolen and provide it to law enforcement and your insurance provider.
• Secure your home. Restore your home’s security by replacing locks, fixing doors and windows, and taking care of other damage. If you have a keypad lock system, now is the time to change your access codes.

Tidying up will help ease your mind and make things feel normal. After you’re done, it’s time to think about enhancing your home security.

Assess And Improve Your Cedar Rapids Home’s Security

What can you do to prevent another break-in from occurring? Your starting point should be to evaluate your home’s security. An advanced system with these devices will go a long way to strengthening your home’s protection: 

• Video cameras: Almost every trespasser will reconsider their plans when they see surveillance cameras. Modern exterior and doorbell cameras offer advanced features like AI-driven smart detection. When there’s unusual activity, you’ll be sent an alert. 
• Access-point sensors: All doors and windows (particularly those on the lower level) should be shielded by glass-break or contact sensors.
• Smart locks and lighting: These automated tools can be controlled from anywhere. Concerned you neglected to secure your door? You can verify and activate the lock right from your phone. You can even have inside lighting go on if a camera spots an unwanted guest.

If you are searching for an integrated system that alerts you and monitoring representatives whenever a camera or sensor is tripped, look into a package from ADT, your home security leaders. You’ll enjoy the smartphone access, 24/7 monitoring, and convenient automation.

Stop Break-Ins With The Best Home Security In Cedar Rapids

Stop burglaries from happening with an ADT home security system in Cedar Rapids from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As your trusted ADT dealer, we install advanced equipment from the top name in the business. Learn more about your options by dialing (319) 214-2293 or filling out our form today.