Burglaries occur on a regular basis, even in neighbourhoods with relatively low crime rates. If you have recently been the victim of a break-in, here are two steps you should take during the aftermath of the burglary.
Change any damaged locks
Many burglars gain entry to a property by breaking open the locks on its exterior doors. If your locks were damaged during the course of the break-in, you should get in touch with your local locksmiths to have them changed as soon as possible.
If you feel concerned about the existing lock's failure to secure your home and do not wish to replace it with an exact replica, you should discuss these worries with the locksmith. They will be able to examine your exterior doors and offer alternative locks which should provide a higher level of security.
They may, for instance, offer to install a deadbolt made from reinforced steel (this type of lock is exceptionally difficult for a person to open using physical force) or recommend that you have a peep-hole and a door chain installed, so that you can see and converse with strangers who approach your home, without giving them the opportunity to force their way inside.
Protect your home against future break-ins
A burglary can make even the most resilient of people feel vulnerable and frightened. The experience of having a hostile intruder break into your home and rifle through your personal possessions may leave you feeling frightened about the possibility of future break-ins. If this is the case, it's important not to dwell on it too much and to instead take positive action to protect your property from further burglaries.
There are many ways that you can do this. When, as discussed above, your locksmith comes to change your door locks, you should ask them to take a quick look at the rest of your home's entry points and advise you on which areas are in need of additional security features.
For example, if the locksmith points out that the current locks used to secure your windows are quite flimsy, you might want to have these replaced with security cylinder lock, that have anti-snap mechanisms, which will prevent burglars from picking or prying them open with tools. In this scenario, it might also be sensible to ask your locksmith to install sash guards; these items feature a jamming device, which makes it almost impossible for a thief to use leverage to pry open the window sash.
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