If you come home to find your windows broken, you need to know what to do and how to act fast. Here is our list of advice and actions to take to ensure your home is safe and secure as soon as possible following the discovery.
Coming home to find your home has been broken into is a distressing time. Even if you discover a broken window and find it’s not due to a burglary, but an act of vandalism it’s still not pleasant. Regardless, you have to take charge of the situation and make sure that you, your family and your friends are safe.
After the front and back door, the most common entry point for a break-in, burglary or otherwise, is a ground floor window; 23% of burglars get access to the home through a ground floor window. So what should you do if you stumble across one of your windows broken? Here is our advice on what action you should take:
Call the police
Immediately you should ring 101 or 999, depending on the severity of the situation. The trained operator will be able to guide you through any special precautions that they require you to take while filing a report and help put you at ease.
Ask if it is okay to take photos of the incident so you can clean up. They will usually be okay with this so long as you do not dispose entirely of the evidence (ie. shattered glass), and more likely given the go-ahead if it is not linked to a serious crime.
Take photos
Taking several photos of the broken window will serve good purpose when discussing the incident with an insurance company, police, or even a local company that can assist in changing your locks or windows. Essentially, it is good to have evidence of the scene and what you came home to.
Clean up the glass
Safety is paramount – to yourself and others around you. It is also worth noting if any children will be present in the area at any time and politely ask them to not venture out of a safe zone. It is safer to sweep up the glass shards with a broom or dustpan-and-brush rather than use a vacuum cleaner. You also then store the debris somewhere close if it is needed, or later be discarded into your bin outside.
Board up your windows
Boarding up your windows is incredibly important; especially as the winter months and the cold sets in – which could make your home uncomfortable to relax in following the incident. You should make sure you don’t leave your property open to risk of further damage from vandals or the weather elements.
It’s not a simple case of using duct tape and a plastic bag or piece of cardboard to cover the broken window either – it’s simply not sufficient.
Cathedral Locksmiths offer fast, efficient and secure boarding up services to ensure your property is safe until permanent fixes can be implemented. We know in times of need you need a quick and efficient response. We aim to reply to callouts within 30 minutes and we even operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Advise your insurance company
Once you are safe and secure, consider contacting your insurance company. By informing them that you have reported the damage to the police, have a crime reference number, photographic evidence, and ultimately the comfort and safety of your family at the forefront, they should understand and co-operate.
Take measures to safeguard your home
We advise you read our recent blog post about making your home less vulnerable to burglars. We can also provide a security survey for your home or building. This will highlight any immediate issues which can be put right and potential security weaknesses which we can work with you to amend.
Is your property secure? Feel free to contact us to find out more about our Boarding Up Services and securing your property.