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It’s every resident’s nightmare. You pull in the driveway to see your door has been forced open or a window shattered. You can hardly process what’s happened, worrying about what’s been stolen and the damage to your property. What should you do? Remain calm, take a deep breath, and follow these steps after a break-in at your Dallas home.  

Once the dust settles, see how to better prevent break-ins with a modern security system.

Initial Steps After A Break-In

Finding your house has been broken into is traumatic. You may be shaken, upset, or simply in shock. Regardless, it’s critical to stay level-headed by doing the following: 

• Do not enter. It’s only natural that you want to rush inside to assess the situation. Don’t. There’s a chance a burglar is still there.
• Call law enforcement right away.  Keep yourself and family members safely away and wait until help arrives. Work with the authorities to make an official report. 
• Don’t touch a thing. Let the police secure the scene and do their job.  

What Are The Next Steps?

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

• Cancel credit cards and alert your bank . If an intruder grabbed purses, wallets, or personal documents, you’ll wish to contact your credit card issuers and banks immediately. It’s a good idea to lock accounts and your credit. You may also add a fraud alert with credit bureaus.
• Call your insurance company. Initiate a claim with your insurance provider. You should do so within 24 hours of the break-in. 
• Take photos of the damage. Document smashed windows, forced doors, and all other obvious damage.
• Inventory stolen goods. Make a list of what’s missing and provide it to the police and your insurance provider.
• Secure your home. Get your home secured by replacing locks, fixing windows and doors, and taking care of other damage. If you have a keypad lock, now is the time to update your access codes.

Tidying up will do wonders for your stress and restore a sense of normalcy. After you do so, it’s time to start thinking enhancing your home security.

Strengthen The Security At Your Dallas Home

What should you do to prevent another intrusion from occurring? Your initial step should be to assess your home security. An advanced system with these devices will go a long way to better protecting your home: 

• Video cameras: Just about all trespassers will think twice about breaking in when they observe security cameras. Newer exterior and doorbell cameras give you advanced capabilities like AI-driven smart detection. Any time there’s questionable activity, you’ll get a warning. 
• Entry-point sensors: All doors and windows (especially those on the ground level) should be safeguarded by contact or glass-break sensors.
• Smart locks and lights: These automated tools can be operated from anywhere. Concerned you didn’t lock up? You can confirm and operate the lock from your mobile device. You can even have inside lights go on if a camera spots suspicious activity.

If you are searching for an integrated system that notifies you and monitoring agents any time a sensor or camera is triggered, look into a package from the home security experts at ADT. You’ll benefit from smartphone access, round-the-clock monitoring, and advanced automation.

Avoid Break-Ins With The Leading Home Security Systems In Dallas

Stop burglaries before they happen with an ADT home security package in Dallas from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As your trusted ADT dealer, we install advanced equipment from the industry leader. Learn more about your options by calling (214) 997-6030 or completing our form today.