Crime is an unfortunate reality in today’s world. People who suffered from burglaries reported losing about $4.5 billion in property loss in 2013. Nearly 75% of those burglaries were in residences. The worst time of the year for burglaries is during the winter holiday season. More burglaries take place between Christmas and New Years. While some of these crimes can be prevented with security systems Delaware, there are ways to get your life back to normal if your home has been a target.
- Get someplace safe. If you or your family suspect that someone has gotten into your home, do not go in. Whether or not you have security systems Delaware or not, you should go someplace safe and not try to check out your home. Even if the perpetrator has fled and your home is safe to enter, you want to make sure the police can get all the evidence they need to capture them.
- Call the police. As soon as you know that and your family are safe, you need to pick up the phone and dial 911. Now that you have gone someplace safe, preferably someplace close such as a neighbor’s home, you need to get law enforcement involved.
- Alert your neighbors. Not only should you tell them just so they can be safe but they may have evidence that can help the police track down the burglar. Even if you do not have video surveillance cameras, your neighbors may have security cameras that caught something happening at your home. That evidence can be the key to catching the person.
- Get any damage taken care of as soon as you can. Of course, you have to wait until the police have finished processing your home but once they have, you need to get everything fixed. In the first place, you do not want to make it easy for more burglars to target your home. In the second place, seeing broken windows or other issues will just serve as a reminder of what happened.
- Update your security. Experts at security systems Delaware say that top notch security system can be the best way to deter the criminals from coming back. The same experts at security systems Delaware say that when there is good video surveillance equipment in place, the chances that criminals will break in drops by about 67%. In addition to the real security these systems offer, they can give you and your family greater peace of mind.
- Do not let this rule your life. It is totally natural to feel violated after a home burglary and it can change the way you feel around your home. What you need to do is try to get back to your normal routine as soon you can. Doing normal things can make you feel more normal. You can also take some proactive steps to reduce your fear. You can take self-defense classes. You can organize a neighborhood watch group. You can take your life back.
- Do not discount your emotions. There are a lot of emotions that come up when you are a victim of any kind of crime. People feel fear, anger, and sadness. This may feel intense at times. These are also all very normal. Rather than try to put on a brave face, you should deal with them directly. Talk to your family about how they are feeling. There are a lot of resources out there for the victims of crime. Your local police department has a list of them and they can help get you in touch with programs. These can be helpful. You can also seek individual and family counseling. If you have children, encourage them to share and deal with their feelings.
It is impossible to overstate how traumatic a home burglary can be to the people who experience it. These crimes do more than damage a home and steal cherished belongings. It can make people feel unsafe in the one place they should feel the most secure. The good news is that with work, time and support from the community, you can get your life back.