Beat the Burglars: I Think I’ve Been Robbed!

This is part of an ongoing series answering common questions from burglary victims. Mukilteo police detective John Ernst agreed to lend his experience working cases for a quick FAQ. For more information on this series, check out the introduction and table of contents.

Sirens: I just got home from work, and someone’s been in my house. The place is trashed, and things are missing. What do I do first? Can I start cleaning up immediately?

Detective John Ernst: DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING. LEAVE THE HOUSE, GO ACROSS THE STREET AND IMMEDIATELY CALL 911. You don’t know if a suspect is still inside. The police will make sure your house is safe. Then they will take the burglary report. You don’t want to touch anything until the police have had a chance to process the crime scene.

{Read more Beat The Burglars}