Coming home to find your door forced, your windows broken or your belongings gone is frightening and upsetting. In that moment, it is hard to think clearly. Knowing what to do after a burglary helps you stay safe, protect evidence, report the crime properly, claim insurance and secure your home so it does not happen again.

This step-by-step guide is written for households in Kenya. Keep it saved on your phone so you can follow it if the worst happens.

What to do after a burglary, step by step

Step 1: Make sure you are safe

Your safety comes first. If you suspect a break-in:

• Do not go inside if you think intruders may still be there
• Move to a safe place, such as your car, a neighbour’s house or the gate
• Call for help immediately: police on 999 or 112, and your security company’s control room
• Alert your guard and neighbours

Do not confront intruders. Possessions can be replaced; people cannot.

Step 2: Call the police and get an OB number

Report the burglary to the police as soon as possible. Officers may come to the scene. Make sure the report is recorded at the police station and ask for the OB (Occurrence Book) number. You will need it for insurance claims and any follow-up.

Write down:

• The OB number
• The names of officers who attend
• The police station handling the case

Step 3: Preserve the evidence

What you do in the first hours can make a big difference to an investigation.

If you have CCTV, download or copy the footage straight away. Many recorders overwrite older footage automatically. See how long CCTV footage is stored.

Step 4: Make a list of what was taken

Once police have finished at the scene, go through your home room by room and list everything missing or damaged. Include:

• Description of each item
• Make, model and serial number where possible
• Approximate value
• Photos or receipts if you have them

This list will be needed by the police and your insurer.

Step 5: Block cards, phones and accounts

If wallets, phones, laptops or documents were stolen:

• Block bank cards and mobile money accounts
• Report stolen phones to your network provider
• Change passwords for email, banking and social media
• Report stolen identity documents
• Watch for suspicious activity on your accounts

Step 6: Secure your home immediately

A burgled home is vulnerable, especially on the first night. Burglars sometimes return, knowing damage has not been repaired.

1. Repair or temporarily secure broken doors, windows and grilles
2. Change locks, especially if keys were taken
3. Change alarm and gate codes
4. Arrange a guard for the night, or ask your security company for extra patrols
5. Check lighting around the entry point

If you need urgent guarding tonight, call a security company. Our residential security services can provide guards at short notice.

Step 7: Contact your insurer

If you have home insurance, contact your insurer as soon as possible. Provide:

• The police OB number
• Your list of stolen and damaged items
• Photos, receipts and any CCTV footage
• A description of how entry was gained

Follow the insurer’s claim process closely and keep copies of everything you submit.

Step 8: Look after your family

Burglaries affect people emotionally. Children may feel frightened, and adults may struggle to sleep. Talk openly, reassure children, and consider staying with family for a night if the house does not feel safe. Improving security quickly helps restore a sense of safety.

Step 9: Understand how they got in

Once the immediate crisis is over, work out how the burglars entered and why:

A professional security assessment can help answer these questions objectively.

Step 10: Strengthen your security

Use what you learned to close the gaps:

• Perimeter: repair walls, add toppings, light dark areas. See perimeter wall and gate security
• Doors and windows: upgrade grilles and locks. See burglar proofing doors and windows
• Alarm: install or upgrade an alarm linked to a response team. See our alarm response services
• CCTV: add cameras to gates and entry points. See our CCTV monitoring services
• Guarding: review your guard’s supervision and relief cover, or move to a professional provider. See how to choose a security company in Kenya

If your guard was on duty

If you had a guard and a burglary still happened, ask your security company for a full incident report, including the guard’s account, the occurrence book entries and supervision records. Review whether the guard followed procedures and whether supervision and relief were in place. If the provider cannot give clear answers, consider changing security company.

Worked example: a break-in in Embakasi

A family returned from a weekend away to find their back door forced and electronics missing. They stayed at the gate, called the police and their security company, and asked for an OB number. They photographed the scene before anything was moved, saved their CCTV footage, and listed stolen items with serial numbers. That night a guard was posted, the back door was temporarily secured and locks were changed. The following week, an assessment found that the back wall was low behind a neighbour’s store and that the back door had only a basic lock. The family added an electric fence, a steel security door and sensor lights, and linked a new alarm to a response team.

What to do after a burglary: quick checklist

• [ ] Stay safe and do not enter if intruders may be inside
• [ ] Call police (999 or 112) and your security company
• [ ] Get an OB number
• [ ] Preserve evidence and save CCTV footage
• [ ] List stolen and damaged items
• [ ] Block cards, phones and accounts
• [ ] Secure doors, windows and locks
• [ ] Arrange a guard or extra patrols for the night
• [ ] Contact your insurer
• [ ] Book a security assessment

How Bestcare Security can help

If you have just experienced a burglary, call us. We can provide guards at short notice, assess how the break-in happened and recommend practical improvements to prevent it happening again. We also offer manned guarding services with supervision and relief cover.

What to do after a burglary at a business

Businesses face the same first steps, with a few additions. Tell senior management and, where relevant, the landlord. Check whether staff access records, key logs and alarm events show anything unusual. Review CCTV for the hours before the break-in as well as the break-in itself, since criminals often visit to plan. Inform your bank if cheques, cards or documents were taken, and brief staff calmly so rumours do not spread. For more, read our office security checklist.

Preparing now, before anything happens

Knowing what to do after a burglary is easier if you prepare in advance. Photograph valuables and record serial numbers, store copies of important documents online, check that your CCTV recorder stores enough footage, save your security company’s control room number, and make sure your home insurance cover matches the value of your possessions. These simple steps make reporting, claiming and recovery much faster if the worst happens.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first after a burglary?

Make sure you are safe, do not enter if intruders may be inside, and call the police and your security company.

What is an OB number?

It is the Occurrence Book reference number given by the police when you report a crime. Insurers usually require it.

Should I clean up after a burglary?

Not until police have seen the scene. Take photos first and avoid touching surfaces.

How do I save CCTV footage after a break-in?

Copy or download the relevant footage immediately, before the recorder overwrites it.

Should I change my locks after a burglary?

Yes, especially if keys were stolen or the intruder may have copied them.

Do burglars return to the same house?

It can happen, especially if damage is not repaired. Secure your home the same day.

How do I claim insurance after a burglary?

Contact your insurer quickly with the OB number, a list of losses, photos and receipts.

Will the police recover my stolen items?

Sometimes, especially when serial numbers, photos and CCTV footage are available. Giving police detailed information improves the chances.

Can Bestcare Security provide a guard tonight?

Call 0709 004 600 and we will do our best to arrange cover quickly.

Related reading

• Home Security Checklist for Nairobi Homeowners: 40 Things to Check
• Perimeter Wall and Gate Security in Kenya: A Homeowner's Guide
• Electric Fence vs Razor Wire in Kenya: Which Is Better for Your Home?

Explore our residential security services or see all our security services in Kenya.