What to do after a break-in: a practical guide for Scotland

Coming home to find your door forced or a window smashed is upsetting, even if little was taken. It can leave you feeling unsafe in your own home. This guide takes you through what to do, in order, from the first few minutes to making sure it doesn’t happen again.

1. Make sure you’re safe

• If you think the burglar may still be inside or nearby, don’t go in. Move somewhere safe and call 999.
• If a crime is in progress or someone is hurt, call 999.
• If the burglar has gone, you can report it on 101, Police Scotland’s non-emergency number, or online.

2. Don’t touch or tidy up

It’s natural to want to tidy up straight away, but try to leave things as they are until the police have been, or until they tell you they don’t need to attend. Fingerprints, footprints and other evidence can help.

• Avoid touching doors, windows and surfaces the burglar may have touched.
• Don’t clean up broken glass unless it’s a hazard, and if you must, take photos first.

3. Report it to Police Scotland

Report the break-in and get a crime reference number. Your insurer will ask for it. Tell the police what you know is missing, any suspicious vehicles or people you saw, and whether you have CCTV or a doorbell camera.

4. Photograph and list everything

• Take photos of all damage: doors, frames, locks, windows and the inside of the house.
• Make a list of stolen items, with descriptions, serial numbers and receipts or photos where you have them.
• Note anything damaged, as well as stolen.

5. Make the property secure

A home that can’t be locked is at risk of a second break-in. The same burglars sometimes return for items they saw but couldn’t carry. This is the moment to call a locksmith.

A locksmith can:

• replace snapped, drilled or forced cylinders and locks
• repair or replace damaged keeps, striking plates and handles
• secure uPVC doors whose multipoint mechanism has been forced
• fit window locks and replacement handles
• change locks if keys were stolen, especially car or house keys with your address

If glass or a door panel is broken, you may also need a glazier or boarding-up service.

In Moray, being unable to secure your property is treated as a priority by Moray Locksmith. Call 07879 265063.

6. Contact your insurer

Call your home insurer, or use their claims line, as soon as you can. Have ready:

• the crime reference number
• photos and your list of items
• details of emergency repairs, with receipts

Many policies cover emergency repairs to make the home secure. Check before paying for anything beyond the emergency work. Ask whether replacing locks to the same or a higher standard is covered. Some insurers require locks to meet a particular standard, such as BS 3621. Read BS 3621 explained.

7. Cancel cards and change passwords

If bags, wallets, phones, laptops or documents were stolen:

• cancel bank cards and tell your bank
• change passwords, especially email and banking, if devices were taken
• report a stolen passport or driving licence
• if car keys were taken, think about your car too. Move it if you can, and tell your insurer

8. Look after yourself

A burglary can affect you more than you expect, with anxiety, trouble sleeping or not wanting to be at home alone. Victim Support Scotland offers free, confidential support. Talk to family and neighbours, too. Neighbours may have seen something, and will want to keep an eye out.

9. Find out how they got in

Understanding how the burglar got in tells you what to fix. Common methods include:

• lock snapping on uPVC doors with basic euro cylinders
• forcing back doors, French doors or patio doors
• open or insecure windows, especially at the back
• unlocked doors, including uPVC doors left on the latch without the handle lifted and key turned
• keys found through letterboxes or in obvious hiding places

Repeat burglaries

Research and police experience consistently show that a home that has been burgled is at higher risk of being targeted again in the following weeks, often by the same people, who now know the layout and what was left behind. That’s why making the property properly secure, rather than just patched up, is so important. Tell your neighbours too, as nearby homes can also be at higher risk for a while.

10. Upgrade where it matters

Once the immediate repairs are done, consider a security assessment. Typical upgrades after a break-in include:

• anti-snap cylinders rated TS 007 3-star or SS312 Diamond. See anti-snap euro cylinders.
• BS 3621 locks on timber doors
• bolts and hinge bolts on back and French doors. See patio and French door security.
• window locks and restrictors
• security lighting, and an alarm or cameras
• letterbox guards and keeping keys out of reach of the door

Key points

Stay safe, call the police and get a crime number, photograph everything and get your home secure quickly. Then contact your insurer, and look after yourself. Once things settle, find out how the burglar got in and fix the weak points.

This guide is general information for homes in Scotland. It is not legal or insurance advice. Always check your own policy, tenancy agreement and official guidance.