Someone tried to break into your home. What should you do next?
How do you stay safe after someone targets your property?
Start by moving away from the possible entry point, checking that everyone inside is accounted for, and reporting the incident through the right route. Call 999 if the person may still be there or anyone is in danger. If the incident has ended, use 101 or online reporting.
After that, treat the attempted break-in as a security incident. That means recording what happened, keeping evidence intact, securing the weak point and checking whether the route to your home is still exposed.
A damaged lock or marked door frame matters, but the bigger question is how the person reached that point. In a Central London townhouse, a private estate or a managed block, the route may involve a side gate, shared entrance, lift lobby, car park or contractor access routine.
We look at the first minutes, the first day and the following week differently. Each stage has a job: stay safe, create a proper record, restore control and then decide whether the risk calls for stronger residential security.
Step back and report any live danger
Inspecting the damage too soon is the mistake we see people make first. A door mark, disturbed window or open side gate pulls your attention straight to the point of entry, but your first job is to get away from that area and confirm whether the incident is still live.
Move away from the door, window, garden access, hallway or car park entrance where the attempt happened.
Account for everyone in the property and keep household occupants away from the possible route in.
Call 999 if the suspected intruder may still be nearby, a crime is happening right now or anyone is in immediate danger, as Police.uk advises.
Use 101 or online reporting when the incident has ended and nobody is in immediate danger.
Wait before handling damaged areas unless you need to make the property safe.
If someone tried to get into your home, do not confront, follow or challenge them. Even if the person has gone, report attempted burglary through the right route and keep your account factual: time, place, entry point and what you saw or heard.
Reported attempts create the incident record
An attempted break-in deserves a proper record even where nothing was taken. Police.uk treats burglary as theft, or attempted theft, from premises where access is unauthorised. Damage apparently caused by an attempt to enter to commit burglary is counted as burglary.
That point matters because some people minimise the incident as vandalism or a damaged lock. If you are wondering, “is attempted break-in burglary?”, the practical answer is that forced-entry marks and attempted access deserve reporting as burglary-related activity.
Once you report the incident, write down the same details in your own record. Include the time you found the damage, the exact entry point, any marks on doors or windows, and anything unusual around the property. For a managed building, add the shared route that may have been used, such as a communal door or service entrance.
GOV.UK says that when a victim reports a crime, the police must give written confirmation, a crime reference number and contact details for the officer dealing with the case. Keep the attempted burglary crime reference number with insurer notes, repair invoices and any later security review.
Preserve evidence before repairs begin
A damaged lock can disappear from the record if it is replaced before anyone photographs it. The same applies to pry marks, damaged glazing, disturbed planters beside a window or a forced side gate.
Before repairs begin, take clear photos of the damage and the surrounding approach to the property. Save CCTV, doorbell camera footage or access-control records where you have them. If your building has a concierge desk or managed entry system, ask that any relevant incident log or access record is preserved.
Avoid cleaning, tidying or repeatedly testing the damaged point before you have reported and recorded it. Urgent safety work still comes first where the property cannot be secured, so if an emergency locksmith, boarding contractor or glazing repair is needed, keep the receipt and note what was changed.
Evidence after attempted burglary works best when it shows a sequence: how the person appears to have approached, where they tried to enter and what damage was left. That gives police, insurers and any security adviser a clearer picture than a repaired door with no record behind it.
Securing access covers doors, routines and shared spaces
Once the immediate damage is stable, the access route needs attention. A lock change may deal with the point that was attacked, yet a repeat approach may come through the same weak routine that let someone reach it in the first place. Building routines can create the weak point, not only the front door.
Check shared entrances
For high-value properties and residential developments across Central London and Greater London, shared access can carry as much risk as the private front door. We look at communal doors, side gates, car park entrances, lift lobbies and service routes because those are the places where access control can slip.
Codes, fobs and keys deserve a quick review after an attempted break-in. If a code has been widely shared, a fob is missing or contractor access has become casual, the property has a control problem. At Fahrenheit Security, we treat residential access as a live routine. Visible presence, clear incident records and controlled movement through shared areas all sit in the same review.
Update people with a role
Tell the people who can act on the information. Neighbours, concierge teams, building management and your property manager do not need speculation; they need the entry point, time, description if available and any route the person may have used.
For blocks and estates, a short handover note can be more useful than a long account. It allows concierge or residential security officers to watch the relevant entrance, record similar behaviour and tighten visitor handling without alarming everyone in the building.
Private households benefit from the same discipline. If someone tried to break into my house, we would want the people around the property to know enough to spot a repeat approach, while keeping personal details and footage controlled.
Escalating protection depends on repeat risk
Do you need security guards after a break-in attempt? The answer depends on whether the incident looks isolated or whether your property, building or routine remains exposed after repairs.
The table below compares security measures with the situations where they fit.
Measure | When it fits |
|---|---|
Repair and lock change | The damage is confined to one door, window or lock, and access can be secured quickly. |
CCTV and lighting | You need better visibility around approaches, doors or garden access, alongside secure doors and windows. |
Access-control review | Shared entrances, fobs, codes, contractor access or concierge routines may have contributed to the approach. |
Temporary guarding | The property remains exposed, residents are absent, or repeat activity is a credible concern. |
Managed residential security presence | A high-value home, estate or block needs visible deterrence, controlled access and consistent incident records. |
CCTV after attempted burglary has a place, but it cannot carry the whole response. Metropolitan Police guidance is clear that CCTV can be valuable, yet secure doors and windows still do the physical work. The same guidance supports external lighting at doors, with low white light from dusk to dawn described as suitable for a yard or garden.
If you hire private security operatives, check the correct SIA licence through GOV.UK before anyone starts work. That is a basic legitimacy check, especially when you are arranging residential security guards after attempted burglary under pressure.
At Fahrenheit Security, we assess attempted break-ins by looking at repeat risk, exposed access and the level of visible control the property now needs. Secure doors, controlled access and a visible response decide the result, not cameras on their own.
The strongest protection is the one that controls the route before someone reaches the door again.
Questions we get asked about attempted break-ins
Should you post doorbell footage online after an attempted break-in?
We would keep footage for the police, insurer and property manager first. Public posting can create privacy and investigation problems, especially if it names or identifies someone without the right context.
Can you stay elsewhere if you feel unsafe at home after the attempt?
Yes, staying elsewhere can be sensible if the property cannot be secured or you do not feel safe there overnight. Keep your insurer informed where the incident affects the property or any emergency repairs.
Should a block manager log an attempted break-in to one flat?
Yes, a block manager should record the incident if shared entrances, communal areas or building routines may be involved. The log helps identify repeat behaviour and gives concierge or security officers a clear handover.
Should you tell your insurer even if you are not claiming?
Usually yes. Many policies ask you to report incidents affecting the security of the property, and a recorded attempt can matter if a further incident follows. Check your policy wording before deciding, because notifying an insurer and making a claim are separate steps.
Can temporary security cover a private home as well as a block or estate?
Yes, temporary guarding can fit a private home where the property remains exposed or residents are away. The decision should come from the risk around access, visibility and repeat approach, not from the damage alone.
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