ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Wilmington, NC & Surrounding Areas
Homeowners looking over damage after a burglary
April 06, 2026

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

It’s every resident’s nightmare. You arrive home and find your door has been kicked in or a window shattered. You can’t think straight, fretting about what’s been stolen and the damage to your house. What should you do? Stay calm, take a breath, and follow these tips after a break-in at your Wilmington home.  

Once things are under control, learn how to better prevent break-ins with the latest home security system.

Initial Steps After A Break-In

Seeing your house burglarized is traumatic. You might be angry, scared, or simply in shock. Whatever the case, it’s essential to stay level-headed by doing the following: 

  • Stay outside. It may be tempting to go inside to assess the situation. Don’t. There’s a possibility an intruder is still inside.
  • Call law enforcement right away.  Keep yourself and family members at a safe distance and hold tight until first responders arrive. Work with the authorities to make an official report. 
  • Leave everything as is. Allow officers take over and collect evidence.  

What Do You Do Next?

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

  • Cancel credit cards and alert your bank . If a burglar stole personal records, purses, or wallets, you’ll wish to contact your credit card issuers and banks immediately. It’s wise to freeze accounts and your credit. You might also add a fraud alert with the major credit bureaus.
  • Call your insurance company. Start the claims process with your insurance company. This needs to be done within a day of the burglary. 
  • Record damage on camera. Document smashed windows, kicked-in doors, and anything else that’s been damaged.
  • Document what was taken. Write down what’s been stolen and provide it to law enforcement and your insurance company.
  • Secure your home. Get your home secured by replacing locks, fixing windows and doors, and repairing other damage. If you utilize a digital lock, now is the time to change your access codes.

Cleaning up will bring you some peace and restore a sense of normalcy. After you’re done, it’s time to consider improving your home security.

Evaluate And Upgrade The Security At Your Wilmington Home

What can you do to prevent another break-in from occurring? Your starting point should be to assess your home’s security. A new system with the following equipment will work wonders in better protecting your home: 

  • Video cameras: Nearly all prowlers will hesitate when they observe surveillance cameras. Today’s exterior and doorbell cameras offer advanced capabilities like AI-powered smart detection. When there’s questionable activity, you’ll get an alert. 
  • Access-point sensors: All doors and windows (especially those on the ground floor) should be safeguarded by glass-break or contact sensors.
  • Smart lights and locks: These automated devices can be managed remotely. Are you worried you forgot to lock up? You can verify and activate the lock right from your mobile device. You can even have interior lighting turn on if a camera spots an unwanted guest.

If you want an integrated system that notifies you and monitoring agents whenever a device is tripped, get a package from ADT, your home security experts. You’ll enjoy the mobile access, round-the-clock monitoring, and convenient automation.

Prevent Break-Ins With The Best Home Security In Wilmington

Stop burglaries from happening with an ADT home security package in Wilmington from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As an authorized ADT dealer, we install modern equipment from the top name in the business. Discover your options by calling (910) 263-6334 or completing our form today.

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