If your home gets burglarized that invasion of personal space is a terrible and traumatic experience. But that’s only the beginning – are you prepared for the problems ahead after the police recover your property?
The police will contact you if they recover property matching the description of your stolen items. They will ask you to supply proof of ownership such as model number, serial numbers or at the very least an owner’s manual. But if you’re like 90% of home owners in and renters in the U.S. you probably did not save the receipt or threw out the owner’s manual after a few months in a drawer or filing cabinet.
If you cannot identify you possessions then you will generally not get them back. Police departments hold auctions to sell off contraband items seized from drugs or other criminal related activities and if you cannot show proof of ownership your possessions might very well end up in one of these auctions.
National crime statistics show that property theft crimes are on the rise – they include:
- Burglary
- Larceny theft
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Arson
Focus on prevention
Want to avoid filing a police report or insurance claim for property theft claim altogether? Here are some tips to keep burglars at bay:
Suspend mail and newspaper deliveries or arrange to have these items picked up by a friend or neighbor when you are on vacation.
Anytime you leave your home, lock your doors and make sure all the windows are secured. Turn on your home security, if you have one.
Do not leave a spare key under your mat or in your mailbox. Such “secret” places are known to experienced burglars.
Keep valuables, such as expensive jewelry, in a safety-deposit box.
Take your purse, wallet and laptop into your bedroom with you at night. Some burglars will avoid bedrooms if they think a home may be occupied.
Make sure your garage doors are locked and secured and even though your car is in the garage lock it and don’t keep laptops, cameras, smart phones or anything of value in there. Set alarms, if equipped.
Also lock all automobiles in your in your driveway (same as above).
Do not announce that you are not at home via social media.
Homeowners and business owners know they should have a home/business inventory but simply don’t have the time or patience to perform one themselves. Our professional documentation service includes high definition photographs for items inside your home and high quality video for your house exterior. This, together with our Protection-Plus Software, can offer you protection and peace of mind by providing detailed documentation of all your personal belongings.
Call Fairfield Home Inventory today for a free estimate or email us at:
info@fairfieldhomeinventory.com or contact me directly at: frank@fairfieldhomeinventory.com.
You can also contact us by phone at 203-914-5391.