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Homeowners looking over damage after a burglary
April 06, 2026

What To Do After A Break-in At Your Scottsdale Home?

It’s every family’s nightmare. You pull in the driveway to see your front door has been forced open or a window smashed. You can’t think clearly, worrying about what’s been stolen and the damage to your property. What will you do? Stay calm, take a breath, and follow these steps after a break-in at your Scottsdale home.  

Once things are under control, learn how to better prevent burglaries with a modern security system.

First Steps After A Break-In

Finding your house has been broken into is traumatic. You may be furious, scared, or just in shock. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s important to stay level-headed by doing the following: 

  • Stay outside. It may be tempting to rush inside to look around. Don’t. There’s a possibility a burglar is still inside.
  • Call law enforcement right away.  Keep yourself and family members safely away and hold tight until help get there. Work with the authorities to file a report. 
  • Don’t touch a thing. Let the police secure the area and gather evidence.  

What Are The Next Steps?

You’ve completed a report with the police, and your home is clear to re-enter. What should happen next? 

  • Cancel credit cards and call banks . If an intruder stole wallets, purses, or private documents, you’ll want to alert your credit card companies and banks right away. It’s a good idea to lock accounts and your credit. You might also add a fraud alert with credit bureaus.
  • Contact your insurance company. File a claim with your insurer. This should be done within a day of the burglary. 
  • Take photos of the damage. Document shattered windows, kicked-in doors, and all other obvious damage.
  • Document what was taken. Write down what’s been stolen and provide it to the authorities and your insurance company.
  • Secure your house. Restore your home’s security by installing new locks, fixing windows and doors, and taking care of other damage. If you use a digital lock, now is the time to update your access codes.

Tidying up will bring you some peace and restore a sense of normalcy. Once you do, it’s time to think about enhancing your home security.

Assess And Improve The Security At Your Scottsdale Home

How can you keep this from happening again? Your first step should be to assess your home’s security. A modern system with these devices will work wonders in strengthening your home’s protection: 

  • Video cameras: Nearly all would-be burglars will reconsider their plans when they notice surveillance cameras. Today’s outdoor and doorbell cameras provide advanced capabilities like AI-powered smart detection. When there’s unusual activity, you’ll be sent a warning. 
  • Entry-point sensors: All doors and windows (specifically those on the ground floor) should be shielded by glass-break or contact sensors.
  • Smart locks and lights: These automated devices can be controlled from anywhere. Concerned you forgot to lock your door? You can check and operate the lock from your smartphone. You can even have interior lights switch on if a camera spots an unwanted guest.

If you want a connected system that notifies you and monitoring agents whenever a camera or sensor is tripped, look into a package from the home security specialists at ADT. You’ll appreciate the smartphone access, round-the-clock monitoring, and convenient automation.

Stop Break-Ins With The Top Home Security Systems In Scottsdale

Stop break-ins at your property with an ADT home security package in Scottsdale from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As an authorized ADT dealer, we install advanced equipment from the industry leader. Explore your options by reaching out to (480) 608-0061 or filling out our form today.

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