The advice below assumes you have just come home and discovered a burglary, or you've been disturbed at home and the intruder has fled. If you are still inside the property and believe an intruder is still present, stop reading this and call 999 from a safe location immediately.
Step 1 - Get to safety and call the police
If you are uncertain whether the property is empty, do not investigate yourself. Stay outside (or at a neighbour's), call 999, and wait. If you are sure the property is empty - perhaps you've returned to find a window broken and items obviously missing - call 101 to report the burglary as non-emergency. Both routes lead to the same investigation; 101 typically gets a response within a few hours rather than minutes.
The Met Police will dispatch officers to attend the scene, take statements, and assess whether scenes-of-crime examiners (SOCO) need to attend for forensic work. This is especially likely if the burglary involved violence, valuable items, or unusual entry methods.
Step 2 - Preserve the scene for evidence
The instinct to start cleaning up or checking what is missing is strong. Resist it. Forensic evidence (DNA, fingerprints, footwear marks, fibres) is most likely to be recovered from the immediate hours after the offence, and is destroyed by handling. Specifically, do not:
- Touch the entry point (broken window, forced door, pried frame)
- Pick up dropped tools, torn glove fragments, or anything obviously dropped by the intruder
- Step on broken glass or other floor debris near the entry point
- Use the bathroom (intruders sometimes do, leaving DNA evidence)
- Touch door handles, drawer pulls, or surfaces obviously disturbed
Take photographs from a respectful distance. Wide-angle shots of the entry point and each affected room are useful for the insurance claim and for the police record. Do this from the doorway of each room rather than walking through it.
Step 3 - Get a crime reference number
When the police log the incident, they will issue a crime reference number (CRN). Write this down. Without it, your insurer will not progress a claim. The CRN is a Met Police identifier (typically a long alphanumeric string) and the insurer's claims handler will ask for it on the first call.
The attending officer will also give you a card or written summary of next steps. If SOCO are coming, they may ask you not to clean or move anything in particular rooms until they've attended - this can take up to 24 hours.
Step 4 - Contact your home insurance
Call your insurer as soon as the police are content for you to do so. Most major UK home insurers (Direct Line, Aviva, Admiral, AXA, etc.) operate 24/7 emergency lines specifically for break-in claims. Have ready:
- Your policy number
- The crime reference number
- A rough description of what is damaged and what appears to be missing
- Photographs of damage where possible
The claims handler will tell you what is covered, whether they have preferred contractors for emergency locksmith and board-up work, and what receipts they need. Many insurers cover the emergency response costs (locksmith, glazier) as part of the claim - keep all receipts. Some insurers will dispatch their own approved emergency contractor; others let you appoint your own. If your policy covers the cost, ask before instructing a locksmith yourself.
Step 5 - Secure the property the same night
A burgled property with a damaged door or broken window cannot be left unsecured - insurers consider this a breach of the duty of care that voids subsequent claims, and repeat-burglary on the same property within days of the original is a documented phenomenon (intruders sometimes return for items they couldn't carry the first time).
A reputable emergency locksmith will:
- Replace any damaged or compromised locks - typically with BS3621 mortice deadlocks for wooden doors or TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinders for UPVC, both of which usually satisfy insurer specifications
- Repair or reinforce damaged door frames where possible
- Board up broken glass panels with marine-grade plywood, fitted to the frame so it can't be easily removed
- Fit additional bolts, chains or door reinforcers where the existing security has been shown to be inadequate
- Provide an itemised receipt for the insurance claim
For Crouch End, Hornsey, Muswell Hill, Camden, Islington, Hackney, Barnet and surrounding areas, Bullard Locks attends post-burglary calls 24/7 and keeps insurer- spec replacement locks in stock on the van so the work is completed in a single visit. See the insurance lock guide for detail on what to ask for.
Step 6 - Document everything for the claim
Once the property is secure and you have time, work through the property room by room and write a list of:
- Items missing - description, brand, model, serial number where known, purchase date, approximate value, where in the property it was kept
- Items damaged but not removed - same fields, plus the damage type
- Structural damage - doors, frames, windows, walls, locks, glazing
Photograph each missing item's normal location (the empty drawer, the bare wall where a TV was) and the damage. Original purchase receipts, manufacturer warranties, and existing photos that incidentally show the items in your home are all useful for the claim. Most insurers accept reasonable estimates where receipts are unavailable, but large items (electronics, jewellery, watches) typically require some form of documentation.
Step 7 - Plan the security upgrade
A burglary is a wake-up call about how the property's security held up under attack. Once the immediate emergency is dealt with, it's worth doing a calm, full security review of the home. Common upgrades after a London burglary:
- Upgrading remaining doors to BS3621 / TS007 3-star spec
- Adding hook-bolt locks to French and patio doors
- Fitting key-operated window locks to all accessible windows
- Installing a wireless burglar alarm (insurer-approved type may reduce premiums)
- Fitting smart doorbell cameras and outdoor lighting at entry points
- Considering a small home safe for jewellery, documents and watches
Your emergency locksmith can advise on the first three at the same visit. The alarm and camera installation is typically a separate contractor.
The longer-term emotional impact
Most people don't think of a home burglary as a violent crime, but research consistently shows it is experienced as one. Sleep disruption, hypervigilance, and a profound sense of violation are common for weeks afterwards, even when nothing of major financial value was taken. Victim Support (free, independent, 0808 168 9111) and the Met Police's victim-support officers offer practical and emotional support to anyone affected. There is no minimum severity required to access these services.