What To Do If Someone Breaks Into Your Home
While most burglaries occur when homes are empty, around 28% happen while someone is inside — a situation that can be extremely traumatic. In fact, 84% of victims report experiencing emotional distress after such an event. To help you stay prepared, we’ll walk you through important steps to handle the situation safely if it ever happens to you.
What to do If I’m Being Burgled?
Many people ask, “What is the first step if someone burgles my house?”. The police recommend your first course of action should always be to leave your home if someone breaks in, and this is something we can’t stress enough. Try to move as quickly and quietly as possible, don’t draw attention to yourself. If you are unable to leave your house safely, then retreat into a room with a lockable door. When leaving your house, try to keep you phone on you, in case you need to phone for help.
Burglars typically aim to get in and out quickly without causing harm. However, 48% of people who encountered burglars reported being threatened, and 27% experienced force or violence. Intruders often plan their escape through the back door — statistics show they usually head there first after checking upstairs bedrooms.
According to Safe.co.uk: “Burglars will have a clear exit to the rear of the property through the back door before heading upstairs to check the bedrooms.”
Safety Tip: If you encounter a burglar, avoid confrontation. Escape through the front door if possible and keep away from the back of the house. Your safety is far more important than any possessions.
Activate Your Burglar Alarm System
Your second plan of action would be to activate your burglar alarm if you have one. This would be especially important if you have a panic button, or an alarm that alerts a manned control centre, such a Verisure. Having an alarm with 24/7 monitoring means you won’t need to face a burglar alone as they can request the police on your behalf and if needed send a private security guard to respond. If you don’t have an alarm fitted then try to set off your car alarm using your keys. Any loud noise will hopefully spook a burglar into running away. Another alternative could be to press a smoke alarm if you have one nearby to help create a large noise which will hopefully deter a thief.
Hide and Try to Call the Police
barricaded door — and call 999. Stay calm and clearly explain that someone has broken into your home. Give your address, state if you’re alone or with others, and, if safe, describe the intruder and any getaway vehicle. If speaking could put you in danger, stay silent and press 55 to alert the operator. Keep the line open so they can listen to what’s happening. Remain hidden and wait for the police to arrive.
Be Calm, Collected and Compliant
If all else fails and you come face to face with an intruder, then you have reached the worst-case scenario. So, what do you do now?
- Do not approach or threaten
- Stay still, don’t make any sudden movements
- Avoid eye contact
- Be compliant
Staying calm is crucial, even though it can be difficult. The calmer you remain, the less likely the burglar is to become aggressive. If you’re near a door, back away slowly and exit if you can do so safely — only run once you’re out of sight to avoid escalating the situation.
Be compliant: Hold up your hands and tell them to take whatever they want. Never risk your life over possessions. Avoid eye contact, especially if the intruder’s face is uncovered, as they may react violently if they feel you can identify them.
Finally, never block a burglar’s exit. Allowing them to leave freely greatly reduces the risk of confrontation or violence.
What To Do If Someone Breaks into Your House UK?
Your first step after discovering a break-in is to call the police:
- If you’re certain the burglar is gone, call 101.
- If there’s any chance the intruder is still inside, call 999 immediately.
Important: Do not touch anything, as police will need to check for fingerprints and evidence.
If the intruder has left, the police may take a few hours to arrive. Once on-site, they’ll take a full statement — be clear and detailed. You’ll also receive a crime number to track your case.
After the police have finished, contact an emergency locksmith to secure your home. They can replace locks or, if necessary, board up damaged doors to keep your property safe.
What Are My Rights If Someone Breaks into My Home in the UK?
If a person were to enter your house without your permission, you are entitled to act in self-defence using reasonable force. The CPS has previously stated that you don’t have to wait to be attacked to act in self-defence. You can also use force to defend yourself, others or to stop a crime (such as burglary). But they are very clear that only actions deemed necessary are counted as reasonable force.
What Does Reasonable Force Mean?
Reasonable force means what most people would deem as an appropriate reaction in the circumstances. For example, defending yourself or others from an attack is reasonable, however continuing to attack a burglar who is no longer a threat, is not deemed as reasonable. If the force you use seems excessive or revenge driven, you might get into some trouble.
You are not legally required to give a warning to a burglar before defending yourself, you are legally allowed to act immediately if you feel you and others are in danger.
Can I Be Arrested for Defending Myself?
In the UK it’s extremely rare for a homeowner to be arrested or prosecuted for defending themselves using force. The police and CPS will always investigate whether you acted instinctively and honestly. They will also consider if your use of force was appropriate to the threat level. If you acted in self-defence or to protect others then you are protected by the law, even if they are deemed to be more forceful than necessary. If you truly believed you or others were in danger and that you were doing the right thing in the moment, you may not be prosecuted.
Can I Use Force To Remove a Trespasser UK?
If you are to use force that is considered more than reasonable and a burglar were to suffer serious injuries during this, then you may be prosecuted. The general rule of self-defence is that the more extreme the situation, the more force you can reasonably use.
We would never recommend that you confront a burglar, and it should only be used as a last resort. You need to try all other courses of action before this one.
How do you Report an Attempted House Break-in?
If you suspect that a break-in attempt has been made, you should NOT call 999. Calling 999 is only used when you or another person is in immediate danger, or there is a crime currently being committed. As long as there is no immediate danger you should call 101 if you suspect there has been a break-in attempt.
What Attracts Burglars to Homes?
- Exposed valuables: If they can see expensive items from a window some burglars may take the opportunity.
- Opportunity: 47% of break-ins are spur of the moment decisions and are not pre-planned, if you home seems like an easy target it may attract would be burglars.
- Oversharing on social media: Alarmingly, 65% of burglars are already familiar with the victims of their crimes. Oversharing on social media may contribute to this as burglars are aware of their victims schedules and what valuables they might have.
Do Burglars Come Back After a Failed Attempt?
As we have seen in Home Alone, burglars can sometimes come back for another attempt. Therefore, it’s crucial that you take steps to improve your security. Unfortunately, the burglar thought that they would have been able to enter your home and would have targeted you for a reason. There is a chance that they still could think they may be able to do it successfully at a later date.
If you fail to upgrade your security, there is a high chance the burglar will be back for a second attempt. In fact, there is a 25% chance you will be burgled again, especially if no extra precautions are taken into consideration.
A few things that may have foiled their attempt could be:
- Your doors were more secure than they anticipated. They are likely to return with the tools to help them break in.
- They may have thought the house was unoccupied if they were stalking your routine of going to work or going to school.
- They may have been disturbed by neighbours returning home.
- They were scared by a fake security system but have since learned it is fake and now know your house isn’t alarm protected.
Why You Should Change Locks After a Burglary
Don’t waste time thinking what to do after a burglary! Once the police have left your property then you should call an Emergency Locksmith to avoid a further potential of a thief breaking in, to check if any doors or windows are damaged, or to check if you need emergency boarding up services. Keytek Locksmiths has local Locksmiths available 24/7 so we can help you out whenever. 28% of people will get burgled for a second time at the same address, so it is important that your house is secure. Burglars will often target the same house again because of ease and familiarity. They might think they have been successful once, so they can be successful again, so it is imperative that you engage a fully accredited, trustworthy Locksmith in the UK to make your home secure again.
For more info on what to do after your house was broken into, visit our Burglary Page.
Kim Freeman
Kim is Keytek’s longest-serving security blogger, with nearly a decade of hands-on experience in the security industry. Over the past 9 years, she has built trusted relationships with locksmiths and security professionals across the UK, giving her exclusive insight into the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in home security.
From traditional burglary prevention methods to cutting-edge smart home solutions, Kim covers it all. As part of her role, she regularly reviews the newest home security gadgets on the market—including smart doorbells, security cameras, and more—bringing readers honest, practical advice on how to protect their homes.
Kim’s passion for security was sparked during her time at the University of Chester, where she learned first-hand how vulnerable student housing can be to break-ins. That early experience inspired a lifelong interest in home protection, eventually leading her to join the team at Keytek.
Today, Kim combines her deep industry knowledge with a love for writing to deliver helpful, accessible content for homeowners across the UK. You can read all of her expert advice and top security tips at Keytek.co.uk, where she shares everything from seasonal safety guides to reviews of the best security products on the market.
