Guide
What to Do After a Burglary: The First Hours, Days and Weeks Ahead
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Starting Here: The First Hour
Which number to call depends on one thing: whether anyone might still be inside. Any doubt at all points to 999, because a burglary in progress is an emergency. Once you are sure the house is empty and the person responsible has gone, report it through 101 or online. Do that before reading further; nothing below matters more than the call.
Source: Sussex Police records published on data.police.uk (OGL v3), Sep 2025 to Aug 2026. Counts are anonymised records mapped inside the Hastings built-up area, not a measure of the risk to any one home.
If the House Is Empty and the Burglar Has Gone
Report the burglary by phone on 101 or through the online form, and keep hold of the crime reference number. The person taking the report will ask which rooms were entered, so look first.
If You Think Someone Is Inside Still
Back away from the door and do not go in to check. Dial 999 once you are somewhere safe, whether that is your car, the pavement or next door. Stay on the line if you are asked to.
Before the Police Have Been: What Not to Do
The point of entry and anything the burglar obviously handled should stay untouched for now. Photograph disturbed areas before you move a thing.
The first hour, in order
- Contact the police: 999 for danger, 101 when they have gone.
- Do not go into disturbed rooms yet.
- Make a quick written note of missing items.
- Missing cards? Call the bank to stop them.
- Arrange to secure the house when the police allow.
What You Can Use as Normal, and What the Police Need You to Leave Alone
The useful half of the rule first: door handles and light switches away from the entry point can be used normally. That is police guidance, and it is the same whether or not a crime scene investigator is booked to attend. The half that asks something of you is short. Keep the entry point untouched until police say work can begin; where possible, avoid touching or cleaning fluids such as blood, footprints, and anything handled by whoever was responsible.
| Use normally | Leave untouched |
|---|---|
| Lights and switches | Forced locks, doors and windows |
| Handles on doors other than the entry point | Footprints inside or on sills |
| Kettle, sink, toilet | Fluids |
| Furniture in rooms not entered | Jewellery boxes, drawers or bags they went through |
What You Can Touch, and Use as Normal
Nobody expects you to keep the house dark and the doors shut. Ordinary household surfaces are low value as evidence because everyone touches them.
Until the Police Have Finished, What to Leave Untouched
These are the ones the intruder touched and your family does not. If you cannot tell whether something was handled, leave it and tell the officer.
If You Have To, How to Move Things Safely
Once police allow movement, photograph, then glove up. Police guidance singles out smooth or shiny surfaces such as plastic, metal, glass and treated wood, because marks survive on them. A phone photo is good enough, and so are rubber gloves from under the sink.
Before the Insurer Has Seen It, Can You Repair the Door?
Preserving evidence and repairing the door can go together once police allow work and the photographs have been taken. Photographing the damage first records its condition; police permission is still needed before repairs begin. On cost, the Association of British Insurers says that "Your insurance policy will usually cover you for any emergency repairs you make following an incident." Usually, not always: cover varies by policy. For the practical side, see how to board up a damaged door or window.
Photographing the Damage Before Anything Is Repaired
The same set serves the police, the insurer and anyone quoting for the permanent repair. Take the whole door, the lock, the frame and any marks, then repeat after the temporary fix.
What Your Policy Covers for Emergency Repairs, Usually
Emergency repairs normally mean the work that makes the home secure and weatherproof.
Keeping the Paperwork Your Insurer Will Ask For
Crime reference number, photographs, receipts and a contact log. Also the damaged lock or cylinder, kept until the claim is settled.
Photograph, secure, keep 1. Photograph the damage before it changes. 2. Secure the property for the night if police have permitted work. 3. Keep the receipt and the old lock.
Getting Your Crime Reference Number and Reporting the Burglary
Your insurer will want one thing before it looks at anything else: the crime reference number. Without it, a burglary claim usually cannot move, which makes the number the single most important result of reporting. Write it down the moment you are given it, along with the date, and keep it with your policy documents. Neighbourhood Watch makes the same point, advising householders to note the police crime number for insurance.
Which Route Applies: 999, 101 or Online
There are three routes. Ring 999 if the burglary is in progress or the person responsible is still there. Otherwise, ring 101, or use the online crime report, which goes to the same control room and is dealt with the same way as a phone call. A police station front counter is a further option where one is open.
What Happens Once You Report It
Not every burglary is investigated in the same depth, and the police are open about how they decide. They consider how vulnerable the victim is, how serious the crime is, how likely it is to be solved and where their resources are best used. You will be contacted either way: to explain why if they cannot investigate, or with the name of an investigating officer who will keep you informed if they can.
What to Gather and What to Expect for Your Insurance Claim
The insurer will ask for the crime reference number, a list of the stolen items and proof of what they were worth. Expect the claim to be largely paperwork: the clearer and more complete your list, the more smoothly it tends to go. Check which part of your cover applies, because broken doors and windows may sit under buildings insurance while belongings sit under contents, each possibly with its own excess.
Build the List of What Was Taken
Go through the house one room at a time and come back to the list over the following days. Write down what each item is, its make and model, roughly how old it is and any serial number or mark. Serial numbers are what let recovered property be traced back to you, so send any you find later to the police.
What Is a Loss Adjuster Looking For?
On larger claims the insurer may appoint a loss adjuster to assess it. Mostly they are checking documents: evidence the theft was reported, evidence of forced entry, the inventory and proof of ownership. Photographs taken before repairs, and the damaged lock if you kept it, answer the forced entry question. Requirements vary by insurer and policy.
Criminal Injuries Scheme Compensation: What It Does and Does Not Cover
Stolen property is not covered by the criminal injuries scheme, which is about injury. If someone in the house was hurt, GOV.UK explains eligibility, and the crime has to be reported to the police before applying.
Making Your Home Secure Again
Tonight's target is a property that locks properly at every door and window, with every key to it accounted for. Those are two different pieces of work. One is putting the damage right; the other is making sure only your household can open the door, and the second is where most people stop short. The page on burglary damage repairs sets out the repair side.
Why Changing the Locks Matters More Than the Damaged Door
A new frame and a fresh coat of paint do nothing about a key that left the house in a coat pocket. Separate the mechanical question from the key question, and treat them separately. For uPVC and composite doors, changing just the euro cylinder normally solves the key question without replacing the multipoint gear. Learn how specialists.
Who Else Holds a Spare Key, and Missing Spare Keys
For each external door, note how many keys exist, who has each one and whether they can show it to you today. Any key that cannot be produced should be treated as possibly taken.
If You Rent, Tell Your Landlord or Housing Provider
Let the landlord or housing provider know once the police have been told. They are normally responsible for the doors, windows and locks, and your contents cover handles your possessions. A lock change arranged without them can breach your agreement, so get their instruction in writing.
Your Rights as a Victim Under the Victims' Code
The Victims' Code is a set of twelve rights that apply to anyone who reports a crime in England and Wales, and they start from the moment you report. A burglary counts. Victim Support publishes a plain summary of all twelve. You do not need to know them all; a handful bear directly on a burglary, and knowing them turns a vague sense of being forgotten into something specific you can ask for.
The Rights That Matter Most Right Now
- Having the crime recorded without unjustified delay. This is what to point to if a report is not being taken.
- Information when you report. That covers your crime reference number and what happens next.
- Being referred to support services, with support tailored to your needs.
- Information about the investigation, which is the entitlement behind asking for an update.
- Making a complaint if your rights are not met, starting with the police force itself.
If the police decide not to take a case further, the Victims' Right to Review scheme lets you ask for certain decisions to be looked at again.
Being Referred to Victim Support
There are two ways in: the police can refer you, or you can contact Victim Support yourself without a referral. The service is free and independent of the police. Help covers emotional support and practical matters, including insurance forms, and in some areas help with securing a property. Contact details are on the Victim Support website.
The Weeks After: Feeling Settled at Home Again
The practical jobs end well before the house feels settled, and that gap is common and nothing unusual. You will have a repaired door and a claim number some time before you stop noticing the door. This section keeps things plain: who can help if you want it, and a few small, practical things around the house that people find worthwhile.
Available Support, and How to Get It
Victim Support helps after any burglary, whatever was taken and whether or not anyone was hurt. Children and other members of the household can be part of that support. If talking about it feels like too much, ringing for help with an insurance form is a fine way to start. Independent Age supports older people, and a GP is another person to speak to.
Practical Changes That Help a House Feel Settled
Stay with a few simple things rather than a long upgrade list. Swap a forced lock for a new one, even if it was repaired. Walk round and check that each external door and window locks properly. Get every key back to a known set. Do these when it suits you; nothing here is urgent. The guides on which door locks meet insurance requirements and anti-snap cylinders carry the technical detail.
Getting Your Home Secure in Hastings
The jobs are boarding up a forced door or broken glass, repairing or swapping a lock that has been forced, and replacing cylinders where keys have gone missing. B.T Locksmiths Hastings takes calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year, including bank holidays. The engineers who attend are DBS-checked. You pay for the work carried out, any parts needed, and VAT. Rates outside Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, are higher, but the call-out itself is never charged. If what is found on site changes the price, you are told before any work begins.
Telephone 01424 571056
Read about an emergency locksmith call-out if the work is needed at night, or talk to a Hastings locksmith about the door.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to report a burglary to the police?
An insurance claim will often require you to have reported the burglary. Police reports commonly serve as evidence that a theft took place. Insurers also tend to ask for the crime reference number among their opening questions, so this detail is usually relevant from the start.
Can I clean up after a burglary?
When it is safe to be indoors, you may use rooms away from the entry point normally. Keep the way the burglar got in untouched, including door handles there, until police say you can clean or start work.
Should I change my locks after a burglary?
Yes, if you cannot account for every key. Repairing the door does not prevent a missing key from operating the existing cylinder. Someone holding a key taken during the burglary could still unlock it, so a qualified locksmith can change the lock as part of securing the door.
Will my insurance pay for the emergency door repair?
Yes, usually, is the Association of British Insurers' general position on emergency door repair. It remains a policy-specific question for you. What is included changes with the insurer and the cover level, so read the relevant terms to see how your repair is treated.
How do I find someone trustworthy to make the house secure?
A clear explanation of costs is a useful starting point. Ask the business to give you that information over the telephone, including how it charges out of hours. It should flag any change to the amount before starting the work to secure your home.
Can I claim criminal injuries compensation for stolen property?
Stolen belongings are not covered by criminal injuries compensation. That means you cannot claim through it for property taken from your home. If you want compensation for the items lost in the burglary, this scheme does not cover that loss.
I rent my home. Who pays for the broken door and lock?
Normally, the landlord pays for the damaged entrance door and lock. Your own contents insurance deals with belongings. The usual responsibility for the property's external doors, locks and windows rests with the landlord, while possessions taken from inside fall under the contents side of your cover.
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