When your San Antonio home is burglarized, both physical property is lost and emotional loss occurs as well. In order to recover your stolen property and recover that sense of loss, there are few steps you can take:
- Notify the Police
The first thing you should do after discovering a robbery to contact the local police. This is important to create a formal report that gives full detail of what was taken. If possible, supplying the police with serial numbers or photographs of stolen items is very helpful to an investigation. Make sure to follow up on the report often.
2. Mark Valuables
It is a good idea to place identifying marks on your valuables in order to distinguish them as your property. Engrave your initials onto hard items like wood, plastic, and metal. Permanent marker is also useful for branding your items.
3. Visit Local Pawn Shops
Pawn shops pay cash for just about anything of value, and often times thieves attempt to sell your stolen property for money. Checking the local area’s pawn shops is a common way to potentially recover stolen property. If you do happen to discover your stolen property, make sure to alert the police and let them come to the scene to handle the items. This way, you can avoid paying for your own household items.
4. Check Online
There are apps specifically designs for stolen property recovery. If you create an account and make a record of your belongings, then a database will be able to notify you if your stolen property becomes listed online. One is called Stolen 911, which searches craigslist for your items. Make sure to search an extensive range of the local area and check other common websites. If you happen to find your property online, do not contact the seller directly. Immediately contact the police and let them handle the specific affairs in order to return your property.
5. Prevent Theft
It is a good idea to keep a detailed record of all of your valuable possessions. This file should include all serial and model numbers so that your property can be identified. If possible, keep photos of the valuables as well and include them in this file, especially any identifiable parts that would make it unique as your property. Make sure to have insurance on your property in order to keep it safe as well.
Police departments don’t always have the amount of resources necessary to recover stolen property so it is a great idea to do some safe investigating on your own. Prevention, however, is the best first course of action to retain your belongings. Want to secure your San Antonio home? BSG Security provides home security systems, which are proven to deter potential intruders.
