Steps to take after a burglary at your business

Discovering that your business has been burgled is very distressing, make sure that you know how to handle the situation safely and efficiently.

If you discover that your commercial property has been broken into, take the following five steps to safely report the burglary, start your insurance claim, and minimise disruption to your business.

Don’t touch anything and call the police– If it is clear from outside that your business has been broken into then you should call the police immediately before entering the property This is to keep you safe in case the criminals are still inside and to prevent you from disturbing or contaminating the crime scene. If you have already entered the property before you realise that you have been burgled, then leave the property to call the police and refrain from touching anything at this point as the scene can be used for evidence if undisturbed.

Review what is missing– Once the police have given you the go-ahead you can start checking what has been taken and reviewing your inventory. Make a list of everything that is missing and photograph any damaged items or damage to the property.

Contact your insurance company– Call your insurance company as soon after the incident as possible to report the break-in. You will need to give them your police incident number, details about the crime and any damage caused.

Arrange repairs and order replacements– If your business property is damaged or has had vital equipment or machinery stolen then you will want to arrange repairs and replacements as soon as possible to minimise downtime and further financial loss.

Review your security– Finally, you will need to review how the intruders gained access to your property and what changes need to be made to your business’ security to prevent it from happening again.

For help and advice with enhancing your business’ security, get in touch with our team of specialists.