# Just got robbed, now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 6, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206 "2010-04-06T21:54:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![satoridt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@satoridt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/satoridt)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/1 "2010-04-06T21:54:26Z")
I don’t know if this is the right forum, mods please move if needed. I am a new home owner and just got a call from my roommate saying we got robbed. So far I know the TV, PS3 games DVDs Blue Rays and a laptop are missing. He has already contacted the police and walked through the house with a cop. I am leaving work now and I would just like to know what to expect from my insurance (replacement, rate hikes, etc…) the police and anything else you would like to share with me. Thanks for any info you can give me. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/2 "2010-04-06T22:12:32Z")
I’m sure this will entirely depend on where you are. Police and insurance procedures can vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/3 "2010-04-06T22:19:18Z")
You should compile a list of stolen items that you can provide to the police and your insurance company. Call your insurance carrier immediately and let them know what happened so they can let you know what your coverage is. If this is the only claim you have made in a while your rates may not go up. You should get paid something by your insurance company, minus your deductible of course. It’s unlikely that the police will be able to get your belongings back, but their report will be required by the insurance company to show that a crime was really committed. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/4 "2010-04-06T23:30:41Z")
Not to scare you or anything, but I’ve heard that thieves will sometimes break into a house again, because they know that everything will have been replaced with new equipment. So you might want to improve your locks and possibly get an alarm system (or a dog). ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/5 "2010-04-06T23:36:28Z")
Really sorry to hear about it. I was going to give you the same warning Dewey Finn just did. Another thought is that if you replace things and leave the empty new boxes out with the trash, it telegraphs the news that the replacements are there. Try looking at old photos taken in your home (new or old) to jog your memory of other stuff that is missing. I was surprised when my home was robbed and they took my plastic laundry baskets, till I realized they used them to carry things. ---
**Author:** ![Wordy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Wordy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wordy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/6 "2010-04-06T23:39:30Z")
Get some baseball bats to “welcome” the thief if he decides for a second dip. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/7 "2010-04-07T00:34:27Z")
> [@Wordy](#): > > Get some baseball bats to “welcome” the thief if he decides for a second dip. It’s funny you should mention that. I asked a (suspicious) police officer today in NYC if I decided to bash a car in with a baseball bat, could the owner of that car take me down and start wailing on my ass. He said I would be arrested for [something, I forgot], and the other guy would also be arrested. FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![NOLA\_Cajun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@NOLA\_Cajun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NOLA_Cajun)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/8 "2010-04-07T05:53:49Z")
You got robbed and decided “Hey, let me ask the SDMB users what they think before I go home to check on this”. Interesting. Anyway, I guess it all really depends on what you can prove was stolen and what kind of coverage you have. Were the items stolen already itemized to your insrance agent before the crime? If not do you have receipts? From what I know rate hikes for home robberies don’t occur like they do in the auto industry. Perhaps if it happens to you a lot then your rates may increase. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/9 "2010-04-07T06:52:03Z")
Sorry about your experience, I hope everything works out okay. Are you a renter with renter’s insurance? It sounds like you were burgled, however. Not robbed unless your roommate was home at the time. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/10 "2010-04-07T07:11:40Z")
Sorry about your experience, I hope everything works out okay. Are you a renter with renter’s insurance? [/quote] From the OP: _I am a new homeowner_. I’m guessing the OP has homeowner’s insurance. > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > It sounds like you were burgled, however. Not robbed unless your roommate was home at the time. That was my second reaction to the OP, myself. _You weren’t robbed; you were burglarized._ My first reaction (before reading beyond the title) was, _Man, are you okay? Was anybody hurt?_ OP: Good luck getting it all sorted out. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/11 "2010-04-07T12:22:25Z")
Get a police report number if you don’t already have it. The insurance people need it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/12 "2010-04-07T14:11:35Z")
Count yourself lucky if you get your insurance company to pay replacement costs (enough to buy new items). More likely you will get an amount not much more than garage sale prices. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/13 "2010-04-07T14:17:33Z")
> [@NOLA\_Cajun](#): > > You got robbed and decided “Hey, let me ask the SDMB users what they think before I go home to check on this”. Interesting. My guess is that the OP is unable to leave work early. Not that he is staying late to wait for our advice. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/14 "2010-04-07T14:36:23Z")
When running down the list of stolen stuff with your ins company, I’d go the Homer Simpson route and write down the new golf clubs, the Waterford crystal bowl, the Picasso… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/15 "2010-04-07T14:52:14Z")
Since the OP is basically asking for advice and personal experiences, this is better suited for IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Iridescent\_Orb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@Iridescent\_Orb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iridescent_Orb)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-robbed-now-what/535206/16 "2010-04-08T04:27:51Z")
In a related thread (sorry, no link) it was recommended to check Craigslist and EBay. If you are able to uniquely identify your items, the police might be willing to assist you in a “purchase”. 🙂