When your property in Athens is broken into, burgled or burglarized while you are abroad, finding out can be one of the most stressful experiences a homeowner can endure. The stress levels rise because you are remote, information arrives in fragmented bits and pieces, your emotions are running wild and yet you have to make rapid decisions.
Whether someone calls it a break-in, a burglary, or being burglarized, the fact remains; your home has been unlawfully entered and without local presence each step becomes much more challenging.
This guide will provide detailed instructions on how to handle a break-in of your property in Athens while you are abroad and specifically how to obtain a trustworthy liaison with the police, facilitate the repair process, and assist with the processing of an insurance claim.
First and Foremost: There Needs To Be A Trustworthy Liaison In Your Absence Who Can Coordinate All Action Locally
The greatest threat to any homeowner facing a burglary is not the burglary itself; it is the disorganization of action and communication.
- Police need access to the premises.
- Doors and windows may need to be replaced immediately.
- Insurance companies need formal documentation of the break-in and subsequent actions taken by you.
- Building management expects prompt action.
Managing all of the above remotely almost always leads to delays, confusion and mistakes.
The first order of business should therefore be to ensure that there is a trustworthy liaison coordinating on your behalf locally in Athens.
Liaising with the Police and Registering the Incident Properly
When a burglary occurs and you are abroad, a police report is mandatory.
When you are abroad, this usually requires a local liaison who can:
- Contact the police as soon as possible.
- Be physically present when the police arrive to grant access to the property.
- Explain what occurred clearly.
- Ensure that the incident is officially documented.
Police will not always take action without access to the property and/or a reliable individual present.
Any delays at this point will ultimately affect the entire process including insurance claims.
A liaison provides assurance that the burglary was properly documented, rather than merely noted by the authorities in passing.
Preserving Evidence While Taking Immediate Action
One of the hardest tasks after a burglary is to take immediate action without destroying potential evidence.
A local liaison can:
- Prevent unnecessary disruption of the crime scene.
- Document/direct photographs of the damage done.
- Facilitate coordination with the police prior to cleaning up the premises.
- Provide assurance that no critical aspects of the crime were missed.
Remote management of this task is very difficult.
Well-intentioned neighbors often clean up the premises too soon and thereby weaken insurance and police documentation of the break-in.
Securing the Property Immediately After the Burglary
Once the police complete their inspection, the property must be secured immediately.
Often this includes:
- Replacing damaged doors.
- Changing/fortifying locks.
- Boarding up damaged windows.
- Securing entrance ways to balconies.
- Inspecting additional entry/exit points.
Without some form of local action, the securing of the property will be dependent upon the availability of others.
A trusted local liaison can:
- Call locksmiths/glazers as soon as possible.
- Be present during the work.
- Verify that the new doors/windows were properly installed.
- Confirm that the home is once again secure.
Failure to manage this aspect of the process increases the likelihood of the thief returning and causing additional damage.
Coordinating the Repair of Broken Doors and Windows
The replacement of doors and windows after a burglary rarely takes place immediately and is rarely easy.
It usually entails:
- Temporary measures to secure the property.
- Ordering the proper materials.
- Scheduling the work of multiple contractors/tradesmen.
- Ensuring that the contractor/tradesman has access to the apartment.
- Ensuring that the work performed is compliant with the regulations of the building.
Without someone on the ground, homeowners who live abroad often experience delays, incomplete repairs and shoddy workmanship.
Local representation ensures that repairs begin promptly (not days or weeks later) and that they are carried out correctly.
Managing an Insurance Claim from a Distance
Insurance claims resulting from burglaries depend on precision, documentation and timely completion.
Typically, insurers ask for:
- An official police report of the burglary.
- Photographs of the break-in.
- A detailed inventory of the items that were stolen or damaged.
- Proof that the property was subsequently locked/secured.
- Invoices for the emergency repairs made.
A local liaison can:
- Collect and organize the necessary documentation.
- Take clear photographs/reports of the burglary.
- Coordinate both short-term and long-term repairs.
- Assist in communicating with the insurer(s) when additional clarification is needed.
Attempting to collect this documentation remotely is usually associated with missing pieces of the puzzle and delayed payments from the insurer(s).
Communicating with Building Management and the Neighbors
In Athens, building management is often informal but influential.
After a burglary, someone must:
- Inform the building manager of the burglary.
- Arrange for building management personnel to have access to any common areas affected by the burglary.
- Address any damage to the common areas.
- Reassure the neighbors regarding the burglary, if necessary.
Local representation avoids misunderstandings and eliminates tension, particularly if the burglary impacts shared entranceways/hallways.
Why Trying to Manage a Burglary Remotely Almost Always Fails
Common failures experienced by homeowners who attempt to manage a burglary from a distance include:
- Delayed police response due to lack of access.
- Inadequate or incomplete police reporting of the burglary.
- Slow coordination of repairs.
- Poor quality of repairs.
- Problems with processing the insurance claim.
- Ongoing anxiety and uncertainty.
None of the above challenges are related to the actual burglary itself; they result from a lack of local presence.
Follow-Up Checks Following the Burglary Are Critical
Many times a burglary reveals weaknesses that were not apparent until then.
Follow-up inspections should include:
- Checking all other potential entry points.
- Assessing any previously unidentified security vulnerabilities.
- Monitoring for follow-on attempted entries.
- Verifying that any repairs completed remain secure.
Having someone continue to inspect the property following the burglary is as important as the initial reaction.
Emotional Impact and Restoring Confidence in the Home
Being burgled can dramatically alter the way you perceive your home.
Even after repairs are completed, many homeowners feel apprehensive about leaving the home unoccupied.
Continued oversight of the property by a local agent will help restore confidence in the home by ensuring that:
- The property is inspected regularly.
- Any new issues are identified quickly.
- There is always someone who can react.
Peace of mind is based on the knowledge that you are not alone in managing the aftermath of the burglary.
How a Local Representative Minimizes Future Risks
Properties that are consistently inspected and maintained are significantly less likely to be burgled again.
Local presence also helps to create a sense of visible activity by:
- Causing the neighbors to be aware of regular maintenance.
- Ensuring that the mail is retrieved regularly.
- Identifying and resolving minor issues before they become major ones.
- Responding immediately to anything unusual.
Thieves seek patterns of vacancy. Continuous attention to the property will break that pattern.
Is “Broken Into” Different Than “Burgled”, or “Burglarised”?
No. Regardless of whether you say your home in Athens has been broken into, burgled, or burglarized, all three describe the same thing: unauthorized entry into your home.
“Broken into” is commonly used in U.S. English, whereas “burglarized” is often used in British English. However, in Greece, regardless of the term used by you, the police, your insurer, or the property professional involved, they will consider them identical.
Final Thoughts
If your home in Athens is broken into, burgled, or burglarized while you are abroad, the largest danger is not the crime itself. It is managing the process from afar.
Having a trusted local liaison to manage the relationship with the police, formally document the burglary, secure the property, arrange for the repair of broken doors/windows and manage the insurance claim process, changes a chaotic process into a manageable process.
Distance creates vulnerability. A local liaison provides control.
