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It’s every family’s nightmare. You pull in the driveway to see your door has been forced open or a window smashed. You can barely process what’s happened, fretting about what’s missing and the harm done to your house. What will you do? Remain calm, take a deep breath, and follow our recommendations after a break-in at your State College home.  

When things get back to normal, explore how to better prevent burglaries with an advanced security system.

Initial Steps After A Burglary

Finding your house has been broken into is unsettling. You could be scared, furious, or just in shock. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s essential to respond rationally by doing the following: 

• Do not enter. It’s not surprising that you want to rush inside to assess the situation. Don’t. There’s a risk someone is still present.
• Contact law enforcement immediately.  Keep yourself and loved ones at a safe spot nearby and wait until first responders arrive. Work with the police to file a report. 
• Leave everything as is. Let the police secure the scene and do their job.  

What Are The Next Steps?

You’ve made an official report with law enforcement, and it’s safe to go back inside. What should you do next? 

• Contact your bank and credit card companies . If a thief stole wallets, purses, or sensitive information, you’ll want to contact your credit card companies and banks at once. It’s wise to lock accounts and your credit. You may also request a fraud alert with the major credit bureaus.
• Reach out to your insurance company. Initiate a claim with your insurer. This needs to be done within one day of the incident. 
• Record damage on camera. Document shattered windows, forced doors, and anything else that’s been damaged.
• Document what is missing. Write down what’s been stolen and provide it to law enforcement and your insurance provider.
• Secure your house. Get your home secured by installing new locks, fixing doors and windows, and repairing other damage. If you utilize a keypad lock, now is the time to change your access codes.

Cleaning up will do wonders for your stress and restore a sense of normalcy. After you’re done, it’s time to think about improving your home security.

Evaluate And Upgrade The Security At Your State College Home

How can you prevent this from occuring again? Your initial step should be to take stock of your home security. A new system with the following equipment will work wonders in better protecting your home: 

• Security cameras: Just about all would-be burglars will think twice about breaking in when they observe surveillance cameras. Newer outdoor and doorbell cameras provide advanced capabilities like AI-powered smart detection. Whenever there’s suspicious activity, you’ll get an alert. 
• Access-point sensors: All doors and windows (particularly those on the ground level) should be protected by glass-break or contact sensors.
• Smart locks and lighting: These automated components can be managed remotely. Worried you didn’t lock your door? You can verify and activate the lock right from your phone. You can even have interior lights go on if a camera detects an unwanted guest.

If you are searching for an integrated system that warns you and monitoring representatives whenever a device is triggered, get a package from ADT, your home security professionals. You’ll benefit from remote access, 24/7 monitoring, and convenient automation.

Prevent Break-Ins With The Leading Home Security Systems In State College

Stop break-ins before they happen with an ADT home security package in State College from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As an authorized ADT dealer, we install modern equipment from the most respected name in the business. Discover your options by calling (814) 212-8021 or completing our form today.