Report burglary

Burglary occurs when someone enters property illegally with the intention of committing a crime such as theft, damage or injury.

Burglary does not have to occur in a building. Gardens, outbuildings, sheds, garages and building sites are commonly targeted too.

Burglary in progress

If a burglary is in progress, call 999

What should I do if my property is broken into?

Do not

Enter unless you are sure the burglar has left
Touch or move anything unless essential to preserve potential fingerprints
Walk across the floors as the burglar may have left footprints

Do

Report the burglary to the police
Contact your bank and card providers
Contact your insurance company
Wait until a decision has been made on forensics before arranging for damaged locks, doors or windows to be repaired or replaced

Report a burglary

You can report a burglary:

online – fill in the report a crime or incident form
by phone – call 101 if a burglary has recently happened within the last few hours

Preserve the crime scene

After you report a burglary, the best thing you can do is leave the scene exactly as you found it and avoid the areas you believe the offender has been.

This minimises contamination and allows crime scene investigators (CSI) to conduct a visual assessment to try and understand what has happened.

Footprints

If there are visible footprints, either inside or outside your property, try to preserve these as best as possible.

For example, you could use a container or plate to cover any footprints from rain. CSI might be able to recover marks left behind by an intruder.

Handling items

If you must move an item as a last resort:

cover your hands with gloves, a plastic bag or food bag
hold the item by the edges or in places where the offender would not have touched it
keep the item in a clean, dry and protected area

You could also use a clear container to cover any item the burglar may have left behind.

By taking these actions, you will be shielding the most valuable forensic evidence until CSI arrive.

Secure doors and windows

You may need to secure the door or window after a burglar has forced entry into your property.

Make sure you or anyone carrying out this work for you:

wears hand coverings
only touches the handle until it has been secured

Any large pieces of broken glass should be carefully placed to one side until CSI arrive. You can brush any small pieces to one side.

For more information, see our crime prevention advice about protecting your home and property.

Related guidance

Find out how to report shoplifting
To register valuable or stolen items, visit the Immobilise website