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After a break-in in Paris: securing the door

Coming home to a forced door is a shock. Before you tidy anything, take a breath. A few steps in the right order will help your insurance claim and keep you safe tonight.

First, make sure it is safe

If you think someone may still be inside, do not go in. Step back, call the police on 17 or 112 from outside, and wait. If the flat is empty, do not touch the door, the lock or the drawers until the police have seen them.

Report it

You can file a complaint at a police station, or start it online on the French government's pre-complaint service and then confirm it in person. Ask for a copy. Your insurer will ask for it, and so will anyone who handles the claim.

Photograph everything

Take pictures of the door, the lock, the frame, any broken glass and the rooms. Do it before you clean. Make a list of what is missing, with approximate values, serial numbers and receipts if you have them. Passport or bank cards stolen? Cancel the cards at once, and contact your embassy for the passport.

Securing the door for tonight

A forced door cannot just be pushed shut. We come out to secure it temporarily: a quick repair or a temporary closing so nobody can walk in during the night. The price for this is given on site, once we see the damage, because a bent frame and a broken cylinder are very different jobs. Please keep the invoice and the photos. Your insurer needs both.

Calling us does not replace the police visit. If officers have not yet come, wait for them first, then call.

Then, think about a lasting fix

A temporary closing is meant to last a few days. Afterward, the door usually needs a proper repair: a new cylinder or lock, and often reinforcement at the point where it was forced. If the break-in was through the door, a steel plate, angles and a certified lock cut the chance of a second visit. Look at our page on armoured doors and reinforcement.

Tips for tourists and short stays

• Tell the host or agency right away, in writing.
• Check your travel insurance for theft cover.
• Keep every receipt, including the locksmith's.

If you cannot be at the flat, say so on the phone: the technician can wait for the owner or the neighbour. A call-out starts from €90 for most visits, and this repair has its price confirmed once we see the damage.

Need to get in first? See locked out in Paris, or return to the English home page.