Burglary is one of the worst things that can happen to your home, alongside fire breakouts and other forms of natural disasters. Unfortunately, burglary cases tend to go up when times are bad as people are unable to find jobs and make ends meet.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, house break-ins are classified as “violent crime”. And while the latest statistics are not available, according to the latest numbers from Knoema, Malaysia had 24,465 cases of house break-ins in 2005 which increased to 27,313 cases in the year 2006.
House break-ins and burglary cases are always unexpected, but knowing how to react and what to do if you are a victim can help the police with pinning down the culprits and possibly even save yourself from danger. Listed below is a step-by-step guide on what to do if you discover that you may have been a victim of burglary.
1. Bring Yourself to a Safe Location and Call the Authorities
In most burglary cases, the thieves want to enter and exit as fast as possible without alerting the house owners. They may enter your house while you are out, or while you are asleep. In these scenarios, you will most likely realise that something is amiss when you enter your living area and notice things are out of place or even missing.
Image source: 999.gov.my
What to Do if You Are Returning Home and Find Your Home Burgled
Should you be returning home from outside and notice something amiss such as your front door unlocked and hanging open, immediately step back into your car, lock the doors and leave. After getting yourself to a safe location, call the authorities to your home immediately.
Leaving immediately and protecting your safety is most crucial, as the burglars and thieves could possibly still be in your home. Other signs to notice that something is amiss are such as lights that have been turned off where you remember them being turned on.
What to Do if You Hear Intruders in Your House at Night
On the other hand, if you are at home in the middle of the night and you hear intruders, stay in your room no matter how tempted you are to look for the source of the noise. Stay quiet and do not let the intruders know that you are awake as that may endanger you. Find a way to safely get out of the house, even if you have to climb out your window. The priority is to get yourself to a safe location before calling the authorities.
Should you not be able to leave your house, quietly barricade yourself into your room before calling the authorities. Lock the door, jam the lock quietly if you can, and if you have an ensuite bathroom, lock yourself in your bathroom and then call the authorities. If you have something that can be used as a weapon such as a baseball bat or walking stick, bring it along with you. Make the least noise possible to ensure that you do not alert the intruders that you are up.
The next thing to do is to remain calm and wait until the authorities arrive. Only engage with the intruders if you have no other option.
2. Crime Scene Investigation and Taking Inventory of Missing or Damaged Items
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Whichever circumstance that you are caught in, you will be safe once the police arrive. The burglars should they still be within your premises will be apprehended and you will be able to enter your home safely once again.
The first thing to remember is to not touch anything. The police will need to sweep the scene for fingerprints if the burglars are not apprehended, and they will also need to take photos. These photos may further be used in your insurance claims, hence do not touch or move anything until the police are done with their work.
3. Make an Inventory of Missing and Damaged Items
You will want to make a detailed list of damaged and missing items along with their value. Also take photos of the damaged items such as your door locks and other household items, as you may require this documentations for your insurance claims later. You will need to call your insurance company after to see which damages can be claimed for and which repairs are covered.
4. Clean Up Your Home and Put it Back in Order
After making your inventory, the next thing to do is to clear up the mess of the break-in and put your home back in order. You may feel insecure in your own house for a bit as break-ins are extremely traumatising. Should you feel a need to, you can opt to stay over at a friend’s or relative’s home until you take the below steps which will go a long way to making you feel safe at home again.
5. Repair and Replace Locks
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The next thing to do is to replace all your locks – because if the burglars can break in once, it is highly possible that they may do it again. You will need to replace all your door and window locks, and you may want to look into investing in a security system as well.
There are many home security options in the market, with the higher end ones being linked to dedicated security companies. These dedicated security companies will contact the police department on your behalf the moment they detect a break-in and send their in-house security personnel rushing over in the meantime.
Reducing the Chances of Being a Burglary Victim
Contrary to popular belief, house break-ins are usually premeditated, and not impulsive. Burglars usually scout their target’s house for weeks before the actual break-in. They also tend to choose houses which the owners are away more often than not, and are more secluded. So to prevent yourself from becoming a victim, try using timer lights at home when you are away.
Also, never hide your “emergency keys” outside your home as burglars tend to be smart at finding hidden keys. If possible, also install CCTV cameras with motion detectors and alerts should the cameras detect movement, and link it to your smartphone. That way, whether you are away or at home, you will be alerted should your home experience a potential break-in.
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(Written by Isabelle, 26th August 2021)
