With the summer months firmly upon us and many people deciding that they want to head on a city break, this means people’s homes are more vulnerable and prone to break-ins. So many people experience break-ins, and it’s not just having to deal with the insurance and replacing items, but it’s also the personal impact of a break-in.
Many people feel that their safe space has been violated, causing people to feel unsafe in their own homes. So what do we all need to remember to pick up the pieces and repair our lives after experiencing a break-in?
Repair the Damage ASAP
It’s common for burglars to force a door off its frame or break a window, and to ensure that your home is as secure as possible, you need to repair this damage as soon as you can. This is not just to reduce the chances of another crime happening but it can also help you to make a break with the past as soon as possible. There are plenty of companies that can help with replacing doors and windows. Renewal by Andersen window replacement services can help you to get this done as quickly as possible, but doing this doesn’t just prevent another crime from happening, but it can help to restore a sense of normality. It’s the very first step people take after a burglary but is a very important one.
Acknowledge How You Feel
Burglary victims display a number of emotions including shock, sadness, and denial. The healing process may take time, but if you want to speed up the process, you have to come to terms with these feelings and accept that it may take a while to get back to normal. It is so important to admit when things are not okay. A lot of people like to put on a brave face, but whatever you need to do, make sure that you can confront your feelings rather than be in denial and tell yourself that everything is okay. When you start to acknowledge these emotions, it’s going to help you on the road to feeling normal again.
Ensure You Feel Safe in Your Home Again
Burglars can actually return to a house that they’ve already ransacked because they’ve already got an idea of the layout. After you’ve contacted the insurance company and all the items have been replaced, burglars can return to a property almost immediately after the first attempt. Ensuring your home is as safe as possible after a burglary involves some straightforward but effective components. These include the following:
- Outdoor lights. Burglars will always target properties based on how exposed they will be after ransacking the place. Simple outdoor lights with a sensor are going to immediately alert neighbors to a burglar’s presence.
- A home security system. There’s a wide variety of home security systems available that will give you peace of mind. Even if you are away from the property you can get a live feed of a security system.
- Getting a pet. You may not think about getting a pet, but even a “beware of the dog” sign is a very good deterrent. Burglars can be inclined to miss a property if they see this sign, as a big dog will threaten their safety, but even smaller dogs are particularly noisy, which will alert the owners that somebody is approaching the property.
Ensuring that you are making some of these little upgrades to your property can make a big difference. It’s also important to remember that some burglars are actually pretty clever and know when a house is not worth the effort. Getting a security system is not expensive and is one of the best courses of prevention. You should also look at the exterior of the property and think like a burglar. If you look for weak spots or hidden places these need addressing instantly.
Address It on a Neighborhood Level
If you are the first person in your neighborhood to experience a recent break-in, you need to alert the neighborhood. If you have a community social media group or a website where you can report your local break-in, this can help paint a picture of what is occurring in the neighborhood but may also help to foster that community spirit that will give you greater peace of mind.
It is one of the most difficult things to recover from, and as hard as it can be, you can give yourself time but the best trick to repairing your life after a break-in is to ensure you have that peace of mind in your home. It may take some time, but if moving away is not on the cards any time soon, you need to work on making your home a fortress.
