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It’s every resident’s nightmare. You pull in the driveway to see your door has been kicked in or a window shattered. You can’t think straight, fretting about what’s been stolen and the damage to your home. What will you do? Stay calm, take a breath, and follow our recommendations after a break-in at your Athens home.  

Once things are under control, explore how to better prevent break-ins with the latest home security system.

First Steps After A Break-In

Seeing your house broken into is traumatic. You could be upset, scared, or just in disbelief. Whatever the case, it’s important to stay level-headed by doing the following: 

• Stay outside. It’s only natural that you want to run inside to assess the situation. Don’t. There’s a risk a burglar is still present.
• Contact the authorities immediately.  Keep yourself and family members safely away and wait for emergency professionals. Work with the police to file a report. 
• Don’t touch a thing. Allow officers take charge and collect evidence.  

What Are The Next Steps?

You’ve conversed with the authorities, and it’s safe to go back inside. What are the next steps? 

• Alert your bank and credit card issuers . If a thief stole purses, wallets, or personal documents, you must contact your credit card companies and banks right away. It’s smart to put a hold on accounts and your credit. You might also place a fraud alert with the major credit bureaus.
• Call your insurance provider. File a claim with your insurer. This needs to be done within a day of the burglary. 
• Take pictures of damage. Document shattered windows, kicked-in doors, and all other visible damage.
• Document what was taken. Make a list of what’s missing and provide it to the police and your insurance company.
• Secure your home. Get your home secured by switching out locks, fixing doors and windows, and addressing remaining damage. If you utilize a digital lock, now is the time to change your codes.

Getting your home back in order will bring you some peace and restore a sense of normalcy. After you’re done, it’s time to consider upgrading your home security.

Evaluate And Upgrade The Security At Your Athens Home

What can you do to prevent another break-in from happening? Your first step should be to take stock of your home security. A new system with these tools will work wonders in strengthening your home’s protection: 

• Surveillance cameras: Almost all trespassers will hesitate when they observe video cameras. Today’s exterior and doorbell cameras offer advanced capabilities like AI-powered smart detection. When there’s questionable activity, you’ll get a notification. 
• Access-point sensors: All doors and windows (specifically those on the ground floor) should be protected by contact or glass-break sensors.
• Smart lights and locks: These automated devices can be managed remotely. Worried you neglected to secure your door? You can confirm and activate the lock right from your mobile device. You can even have inside lights turn on if a camera discovers suspicious activity.

If you want a connected system that notifies you and monitoring staff any time a device is set off, look into a package from the home security specialists at ADT. You’ll enjoy the mobile access, round-the-clock monitoring, and custom automation.

Prevent Break-Ins With The Best Home Security In Athens

Stop burglaries before they happen with an ADT home security system in Athens from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As your trusted ADT dealer, we install the latest equipment from the most respected name in the business. Discover your options by dialing (706) 397-7344 or filling out our form today.