Burglary: what to do in the first hour

Stay safe first. Paperwork comes next.

The answer in 2 lines. If your door or a window has been forced, don't go in: the burglar may still be inside. Go somewhere safe and call 911. Don't touch anything until police arrive. Then call your bank or card issuers to block stolen cards, take photos, list what's missing, get a copy of the police report, and contact your homeowners or renters insurer as soon as you can. If IDs or checks were stolen, check IdentityTheft.gov.

The first 3 steps

Go somewhere safe, like a neighbor's or your car, and call 911.
Block stolen credit and debit cards right away by calling the number for each card issuer.
Take photos of the damage without moving anything.

Stop: danger

Never go in alone if you think someone is still inside. Never confront a burglar.

The first minutes

If the door is forced, stay outside and call 911. Once police have checked the home, or tell you it's OK, you can go in. Try not to touch anything first: traces can help the investigation.

Photograph doors, windows and every room.
Note the time you discovered the burglary.
Keep broken items and the damaged lock.

The police report

Police will take a report or give you a report or case number. If the burglary is discovered later and nobody is in danger, many departments let you report by phone at a non-emergency number, by 311 in some cities, or online. Keep the report number: your insurer will ask for it. You can add items to the report if you find more missing later.

Block cards, checks and IDs

Cards: call each issuer right away. Under federal law, reporting quickly limits your liability for unauthorized charges, especially on debit cards.
Checks: tell your bank.
Phone: call your carrier to lock the line and the device.
Driver's license, passport, Social Security card stolen: go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan, and consider freezing your credit.

Insurance and the inventory

Standard homeowners and renters policies usually cover theft, minus your deductible and up to policy limits; high-value items like jewelry may have lower limits. Report the claim as soon as you can and follow your policy's deadlines.

List what was stolen or damaged.
Gather proof: receipts, photos, serial numbers, bank statements.
Keep receipts for emergency repairs like a new lock or board-up.

What not to do

Cleaning up or touching moved items before police arrive.
Throwing away the broken lock or door parts: they're evidence for the insurer.
Waiting days to call your insurer.
Paying for a big repair without a written estimate.

Secure the door

Ask your insurer first: some policies help arrange or pay for emergency repairs.
Get a written estimate before work starts, and keep the invoice.
Change the locks if keys were stolen.
Renters: tell your landlord in writing; the landlord usually repairs the door.

Coming home from work in Dallas, Jamal finds his front door forced. He stays in the parking lot and calls 911. After police check the apartment, he blocks his credit card, takes photos, gets the report number and files a claim with his renters insurer that evening.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on October 18, 2026, for the United States. Confidence: high for the safety steps, card blocking and the identity-theft steps; medium for how police take reports and insurance deadlines, which vary by city, state and policy. This guide describes common cases, not a diagnosis.