Discovering a break-in is disorienting and the decisions you make in the first hour affect your insurance claim, the police investigation and your security afterwards. This is the sequence we would follow, based on attending these calls across the GTA.
1. Do not go inside
If you arrive and find signs of forced entry, do not enter. An intruder may still be inside, and that is the scenario in which these situations turn dangerous.
Go somewhere safe, and call 911 if you believe anyone is still on the property or if anyone is hurt. For a discovered break-in with nobody present, the Toronto Police non-emergency line and the equivalent lines in Peel, York, Halton and Durham take the report.
2. Get an occurrence number
Whether police attend in person or take the report by phone or online, you need the occurrence or event number. Your insurer will require it, and obtaining it later is significantly more difficult than getting it at the time.
Write it down immediately along with the date, time and the officer or call-taker, rather than relying on remembering it.
3. Photograph everything before touching anything
Wide shots showing the whole door or opening in context, then close-ups of the damage, the broken hardware and the point of entry. Photograph the interior damage and disturbance too, before anything is tidied.
This is the most useful two minutes you will spend. Adjusters work from evidence, and the instinct to clean up immediately destroys it.
4. Do not tidy up or discard damaged hardware
A snapped cylinder, a torn strike plate or a split jamb section is evidence of forced entry. Keep it. Bag it if it is loose.
Resist clearing up until you have photographed and, if police are attending, until they have finished. The scene tells the story of the entry and it is worth preserving.
5. Make the building secure
Once the scene is released, the building needs to be secure before it is left. That means a same-visit repair if the damage allows, a temporary secure closure if it does not, or a board-up where an opening cannot be closed any other way.
This is where we come in, and it is a call we take 7 days a week, 8 AM to 11 PM — after that, leave your number and we call you at 8 AM. Tell us what is damaged and roughly how big the opening is, and we can arrive with the right materials on the first trip.
6. Rekey anything the taken keys operate
If keys were taken, every lock those keys open needs rekeying, not just the forced door. A return visit using a key leaves no damage, no evidence, and a much harder insurance claim.
This is the step most often deferred and it is the one most worth doing immediately.
7. Make a list of what is missing
Work room by room rather than trying to recall from memory. Include serial numbers where you have them, and photographs or receipts if you can find them.
Report stolen identification, bank cards and passports to the relevant institutions separately and promptly. Stolen documents can cause considerably more damage over time than the items taken.
8. Contact your insurer
Report promptly — most policies require notification within a defined period. Have the occurrence number, your photographs, the list of missing items and the make-safe invoice ready.
Ask specifically whether emergency make-safe work is covered separately from permanent repair, because many policies treat them differently and it affects how the work should be invoiced.
9. Fix the weakness, not just the damage
Restoring the door to exactly what it was leaves you exactly as exposed. The repair visit is the cheapest opportunity to reinforce the strike, upgrade the cylinder or film the glazing, because the work is already open and the trade is already there.
Repeat victimisation is a real and well-documented pattern, and the weeks immediately after an incident are when the risk is highest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I call 911 or the non-emergency line?
Call 911 if anyone is hurt, if you believe an intruder is still on the property, or if a crime is in progress. For a break-in discovered after the fact with nobody present, use the non-emergency line for your service — Toronto Police, Peel Regional, York Regional, Halton Regional or Durham Regional depending on where you are. Either way, get the occurrence number.
How long do I have to report a break-in to my insurance?
Policies vary but most require prompt notification, often within a specified number of days, and delay can genuinely jeopardise a claim. Report as soon as you reasonably can, even before you have a complete list of what is missing — you can supplement the claim afterwards.
Can I clean up before the police arrive?
Try not to. The scene is evidence, and disturbing it can affect both the investigation and your claim. If police are attending, wait. If they are taking the report remotely, photograph everything thoroughly before you touch anything, and keep any damaged hardware.
Who pays for emergency board-up, me or the insurer?
You will normally pay at the time and claim it back, and most policies cover emergency make-safe work — sometimes separately from the permanent repair and sometimes without the deductible applying. Keep the invoice itemised and ask your adjuster specifically how make-safe is treated under your policy.
After a Break-In (Guide) across the GTA
We provide what to do after a break-in: a step-by-step guide throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Pick your city for local detail, or call and we will tell you straight away whether you are in range.
Related services
Break-In Repair
Same-day repair and re-securing after a forced entry — doors, frames, locks and hardware, with documentation for your insurance claim.
Emergency Board-Up
Doors and openings secured the same night when a proper repair cannot be completed immediately.
Post-Burglary Upgrades
A structured review of every opening after an incident, with upgrades prioritised by what actually gets exploited.
Locks After a Break-In
Damaged cylinders and locksets replaced with hardware that addresses how the original was defeated.