Home Recovery After a Break-In

Recovery

After a break-in.

What to do first, in order: staying safe, the police report, the insurance claim, the locks, and the weeks after.

Before you go inside

If you come home to a broken window, a forced door, or a door you locked standing open, do not go in. Go somewhere safe, such as a neighbor's house, and call the police from there. Someone may still be inside. Every police department we checked says the same thing: do not go in, and call the police.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Call 911 if the break-in may still be happening or anyone is hurt.^[4]

FROM THE FIELD

In most accounts the things taken never come back; what a household recovers is money, time, and sleep, and the order of the first few days decides how much. Burglary victims describe the same arc again and again: little follow-up once the report is filed, an insurance claim that turns on what they could prove they owned, and weeks of checking the locks. This page follows that arc in order, so the work that pays off gets done first.

If it just happened

The first steps, in order.

Most people meet this page after the fact. In federal survey data, about 7 in 10 household burglaries happened when no one in the household was home.^[5] The list below is the order that protects you, your claim, and your accounts.

Action checklist

After a break-in

1. Stay out and call. Call 911 if it may still be happening or anyone is hurt. If it is clearly over and no one is in danger, some departments take property-crime reports on their non-emergency line or online.^[4]
2. Leave everything where it is. Do not clean up, straighten, or let anyone else in until officers have been through.^[1]
3. Get the report number. Write down the officer's name and the case number. Your insurer will ask for a copy of the report.^[6]
4. Photograph everything. Every room, the entry point, the damage, and the places where missing things used to be, before you repair or tidy.^[6]
5. Call your insurer. Report the loss as soon as you can and ask what they need from you.^[7]
6. Cancel and freeze. If wallets, cards, checks, or IDs are missing, call your bank and card issuers, then place a fraud alert or a credit freeze.^[10]^[19]
7. Secure the way in. Repair or block the entry point the same day. If keys or a garage remote were taken, rekey the locks and clear the opener's stored codes.
8. Tell the neighbors. Homes next to a burglarized house face higher risk for a while afterward, so let the households on either side know.^[13]

The police report

What the report is for.

The report does two jobs. It starts the investigation, and it is the document your insurer will ask for before paying a theft claim.^[6]

Use 911 for a break-in that may still be happening, for anyone hurt, or for anything that feels unsafe. For one that is clearly over, some departments take property-crime reports on the non-emergency line or online; Seattle police, for example, do.^[4] Your department's website lists the options.

From the field · Accounts describe little contact after the report is filed. The items that do come back tend to be the ones with a serial number or a mark the owner could describe. A photo of an engraving, a scratch, or a repair is worth adding to the list.

Have this ready for the officer

A first list of what is missing. Shock makes it hard to remember everything at once, so keep adding to the list as you notice gaps.
Serial numbers, makes, and models for electronics, tools, and anything else valuable, if you have them. They make stolen items identifiable if they turn up.
Photos of the entry point and any damage.
Camera footage. Download and save a copy of any doorbell or security camera clips before they are overwritten. The security cameras guide explains how local and cloud storage keep footage.

Before the officer leaves, ask for the case number, the officer's name, and how to add stolen items to the report later.

The insurance claim

Homeowners and renters policies both cover theft.

Personal property coverage pays when your belongings are stolen, whether you own the home or rent it.^[8] Renters insurance covers your belongings, not the building, so report damage to the door or windows to your landlord in writing the same day.

Compare the loss with your deductible before you file. If the two are close, paying the cost yourself can be cheaper over time, because a claim can affect your renewal rate.^[6]

How your policy values things

Actual cash value pays what the item was worth after depreciation. Replacement cost usually pays in two checks: the depreciated value first, then the rest once you replace the item and send the receipt.^[8]

Limits on valuables

Policies cap what they pay for some categories, such as jewelry and art, unless you added coverage for them. A claim for an expensive ring may pay well under its value, so check those limits early.^[8]

Listing what was taken

Insurers ask for an itemized list: each item's quantity, description, and value.^[7] Add makes, models, purchase dates, and receipts or photos wherever you have them.^[6] Old photos of rooms, email order confirmations, and card statements also help show what you owned.

The adjuster process, and what to do if the offer is low, are covered in the insurance claims guide. It is written for disasters, and the claim steps are the same for a theft.

Your policy sets the deadlines

Policies require prompt notice of a loss and an itemized proof of loss when the insurer asks for one. The exact time limits are in the part of your policy that lists your duties after a loss, and state law sets how fast the insurer must respond. In Michigan, for example, an insurer must pay within 60 days of receiving proof of loss.^[7]

Find your state insurance department

If they took more than things

Keys, IDs, cards, and checks.

Some stolen items keep costing you after the burglary unless you shut them down. Deal with these the same day.

House keys or a garage remote

Rekey or replace the locks those keys open. The lock repair guide shows how to rekey a cylinder yourself. For a garage remote, clear the opener's stored codes; your owner's manual shows how for your model.

Wallet, license, or Social Security card

Report it at IdentityTheft.gov for a free recovery plan. Place a fraud alert, which is free, lasts a year, and needs a call to only one credit bureau, or a credit freeze, which is free to place and lift at all three.^[10] More in the identity theft recovery guide.

A checkbook

Ask your bank to stop payment on the missing checks and close the account. Then report the theft to the check verification companies TeleCheck and Certegy so stores refuse the checks.^[11]

Credit and debit cards

Call each card issuer to report the theft and dispute any charges you did not make. Do it right away: for debit cards especially, how much you can be held responsible for depends on how fast you report.^[19] Keep watching your bank statements for withdrawals you did not make.^[10]

Phones, laptops, and tablets

Use the maker's locate or remote-erase feature, tell your phone carrier, and change the passwords for accounts the device stayed signed into.

Before you sign anything

A break-in is a hard week to commit to a multi-year contract. If you buy a security system from someone who comes to your door, you can still change your mind. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel a sale of $25 or more made at your home.^[12]

What to fix first

Fix the way they got in before anything else.

A home that has been burglarized is up to four times more likely to be burglarized again, and repeat burglaries most often come within about six weeks.^[13] In a federal study of three cities, single-family homes ran three to four times the risk after a first burglary.^[14] The weeks right after are when security work pays off most.

Researchers give a few reasons. Whatever made the house look easy is still true, and burglars may return for things they left behind or for things the owner has replaced with insurance money.^[13]

1

The entry point, today

A kicked door often splits the jamb at the strike. A reinforced strike driven into solid framing can hold it short term, but a split jamb still needs a carpenter; the lock repair guide covers both. Secure a broken window until it can be replaced.
2

The other easy ways in, this week

Most completed burglaries involve no forced entry. In the same federal data, about 6 in 10 completed burglaries happened without force, such as through an unlocked door or an open window.^[5] Walk the outside of the house after dark, as described in Home Security Without Paranoia, and close every gap you find.
3

Locks and lighting next

Longer strike plate screws, solid secondary locks on windows, and motion lighting at the entries are good next steps. See door security, window security, and lighting and visibility.
4

Cameras or an alarm, when you are ready

There is no need to decide in the first week. The alarm systems and security cameras guides help you choose without overpaying, once the locks and lighting are done.

For renters

Report the damage to your landlord in writing the same day, and ask in writing before changing locks, because many leases restrict lock changes. Battery motion lights and the locking routine need no permission.

The weeks after

Feeling unsettled at home is common.

Research on burglary victims finds that anger, fear, anxiety, and low mood are common reactions, and that most people return to how they felt before within weeks.^[15] Distress tends to run higher when the burglary caused a lot of damage, or when people felt let down by the police response.^[15]

Practical steps help too. In a study of 308 recent burglary victims in Japan, those who got crime prevention advice from police showed less distress and less fear of a second burglary.^[16] Fixing the way in and knowing what you changed is part of the recovery, not separate from it.

For children and the rest of the household, the emotional and family recovery guide covers what to expect and when to get help.

From the field · People describe lying awake and rechecking the doors for weeks. Many say what finally helped was a change they could see, a new lock or a light at the entry, and talking it through with someone who listened.

If you want to talk to someone

VictimConnect, run by the National Center for Victims of Crime with Justice Department funding, takes calls, texts, and chats from victims of any crime, 24 hours a day: 1-855-484-2846.^[17]

If the stress turns into a crisis, call or text 988.^[18]

Common questions

The questions that come up most.

Should I go inside if my house was broken into?

No. If you come home to a broken window, a forced door, or a door you locked standing open, stay out. Someone may still be inside, and police departments advise against going in to look. Go somewhere safe, such as a neighbor's house, and call the police from there. While you wait, do not touch anything or let anyone else in.

Should I call 911 or the non-emergency number after a break-in?

Call 911 if the break-in may still be happening, if anyone is hurt, or if you are not sure the house is empty. If it is clearly over and no one is in danger, some police departments, including Seattle's, take property-crime reports on the non-emergency line or online. Either way, wait outside or at a neighbor's house until police have been through.

Is it worth filing an insurance claim for a burglary?

Compare the loss with your deductible first. If the two are close, paying out of pocket can cost less over time, because a claim can affect your renewal rate, according to Washington's insurance commissioner. If the loss is well above the deductible, report it promptly, include a copy of the police report, and send an itemized list with descriptions and values.

Will burglars come back to the same house?

It happens more often than people expect. A Justice Department guide on burglary of single-family houses reports that a burglarized home is up to four times more likely to be burglarized again, most often within about six weeks. Fixing the entry point quickly and telling the neighbors are good first steps.

How long does it take to feel normal at home again?

For most people, weeks. A 2023 review of research on burglary victims found that most people return to their earlier sense of well-being within weeks, with distress running higher when the burglary caused a lot of damage. If the stress is not easing, VictimConnect (1-855-484-2846) offers confidential support around the clock.

Before the next time

The step that is easiest in advance.

The hardest part of a theft claim is showing what you owned. A home inventory, kept somewhere outside the house, makes the next claim much simpler.^[9]

Recovery guides: Insurance claims · Identity theft recovery · Emotional recovery · Administrative recovery

Home security: All home security guides · Daily security habits

Recovery hub

Sources

[1] Prince William County Police Department (Virginia). Burglary prevention guidance: do not enter the house, call the police immediately, and do not touch anything or let anyone in while you wait. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[2] Murrieta Police Department (California). "Home Security." If you see a broken window or a jimmied door, do not go in; phone police immediately. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[3] Town of Allenstown, New Hampshire, Police. "I return home and find my front door open. Should I go in?" Do not go in; go to a neighbor's and call police. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[4] Seattle Police Department. "Calling 9-1-1." Crimes in progress go to 911; completed property crimes with no danger can be reported on the non-emergency line or online. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[5] Bureau of Justice Statistics. "Victimization During Household Burglary." NCJ 227379, September 2010. National Crime Victimization Survey, 2003 to 2007: a household member was present in 27.6% of burglaries (Table 1); 63% of completed burglaries were unlawful entry without force (Table 1). [source] Accessed October 2026.
[6] Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. "Filing a renter insurance claim: before you file a claim." Police report copy with the claim, photos and video, a detailed inventory, and weighing the deductible against renewal effects. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[7] Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Homeowners insurance claims publication (FIS-PUB 0216). Prompt notice, notifying police after a theft, an inventory showing quantity, description, and actual cash value, and payment within 60 days of proof of loss. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[8] Texas Department of Insurance. Homeowners and renters insurance guide. Personal property coverage for stolen belongings, limits on jewelry and art, and the two-check replacement cost payment. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[9] Iowa Insurance Division. "The importance of a home inventory before a disaster or insurance claim." What to record and keeping the inventory outside the home. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[10] Federal Trade Commission. "What To Know About Identity Theft." Reporting at IdentityTheft.gov, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and watching statements. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[11] South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. "Checks and Checking Accounts." Stop payment, close the account, and notify check verification companies. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[12] Federal Trade Commission. "Buyer's Remorse: The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule May Help." Three business days to cancel covered sales of $25 or more made at your home. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[13] Weisel, Deborah Lamm. "Burglary of Single-Family Houses." Problem-Oriented Guides for Police, Guide No. 18. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2002. Repeat risk up to four times, most often within six weeks; higher risk for neighbors; return visits for left-behind or replaced property. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[14] National Institute of Justice. "Hot Dots in Hot Spots: Examining Repeat Victimization for Residential Burglary in Three Cities." Single-family homes three to four times more likely to be burglarized again. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[15] Kunst, Maarten, and Dante Hoek. "Psychological Distress Among Domestic Burglary Victims: A Systematic Review of Possible Risk and Protective Factors." Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 2023. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[16] National Criminal Justice Reference Service. "Study of Post-Incident Maladjustments of Burglary Victims." Survey of 308 recent burglary victims; crime prevention information from police was associated with less distress and fear of revictimization. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[17] VictimConnect Resource Center. A program of the National Center for Victims of Crime, funded by the Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice. [source] Accessed October 2026.
[18] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. "988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline." [source] Accessed October 2026.
[19] Federal Trade Commission. "Lost or Stolen Credit, ATM, and Debit Cards." Report to the issuer as soon as possible; debit card liability depends on how quickly you report. [source] Accessed October 2026.

Last verified: October 2026. Police procedures, insurance terms, and claim deadlines vary by department, insurer, and state. Check your policy and your local department for the details that apply to you.

What’s next

Financial Recovery