What To Do After A Theft Or Burglary In Your House

By: Samuel Teo | Posted: 10th May 2010

A theft or a burglary at home can be the worst thing to happen to anybody. Such incidents leave the home owners with a feeling of being violated, angered and scared. In worst cases thefts and burglaries can cause emotional distress and trauma to the owners which can last far into the future. Although it is very difficult to cope up with the loss of valuables, most victims make critical mistakes in the moments after their house has been burglarized.



These critical errors in judgement often minimize the chances of recovering the stolen belongings. In cases of burglary or theft every minute is crucial for the law enforcement agencies and delay in informing them gives the thieves and the burglars time to escape. Here are a few things you should keep in mind if you are the victim of theft or burglary:



Call 911 immediately - If you see signs of forced invasion in your house, you should immediately dial 911 and seek help. If possible, try making the call from outside your home as this will prevent unknowingly tampering of evidence.



Stay outside your house - Avoid entering the house as this might lead to confrontation with the burglar who might have taken shelter in the house. Policemen are trained to deal with such situations and it should be left to them. You should try securing the house by locking all the possible exits.



Evidence is crucial - Many people hinder with the investigation process by tampering the evidence that the thieves and burglars leave behind. Fingerprints, bootprints and other evidences are crucial to the case. Victims in their shock and anger many a times destroy such crucial evidences.



List the stolen items - Prepare a detailed list of the stolen items along with their value.. Photographs, receipts and catalogues of jewelery, electronic goods and other valuables can help the police in their investigation. This list will also be required to stake claim if your stolen goods are recovered. This list will also help you in making insurance claim over your stolen goods.



Zero in on suspects - Did you notice something unusual in the last few days? Did the thief seem to know your house very well? Often close acquaintances are responsible for burglary. Try recalling any unexpected visitor such as a salesperson or a repairman who had come home recently.



Seek legal help - In case the thief or the burglar has been nabbed by the police you might need legal help. Go to a Houston attorney who has experience in dealing with such cases.

Learn from your mistake - Poor locks and security systems might have resulted in your house being burglarized. Llearn from your mistakes and install better locks and security system in your house. This will help insure that you don't go through the same ordeal again in your life.

It is true that a burglary or a theft is not easy to cope up with but a few measures taken after burglary can help the police catch the burglars and also recover stolen items. If not so, at least the police will collect crucial evidence against the suspect.



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Tags: thieves, critical mistakes, belongings, fingerprints, law enforcement agencies, emotional distress, insurance claim, burglar, evidences, burglary, burglaries, jewelery, burglars, policemen, electronic goods