You know what an unpredictable world this is.  Hopefully you feel safe in your home and in your neighborhood --- and have taken precautions to ensure that your home is safe and secure.  Unfortunately, homes are burglarized despite the best precautions.  If this happens to a neighbor, you might keep the following ideas in mind.

If your neighbor's home is burglarized, don't be surprised if you are happy it was them and not you.  This is a perfectly natural reaction, according to Mory Framer, a Los Angeles psychologist.  Another common reaction to a neighbor's loss is becoming nervous and worrying that you'll be next.  The important thing is to help yourself and your neighbors in this time of crisis.

Don't withdraw from your neighbors.  Avoid acting as if they have a communicable disease.  Don't blame them either; it could happen to anyone.

Offer a helping hand.  If there was damage, help with the clean-up.  You can also bring food to them - they will probably be too distraught to think about cooking or eating.

Never minimize the situation.  While it is true that your neighbors were fortunate in not being hurt physically, don't insist that they feel lucky about being unharmed.  The emotional harm can be tremendous -- and you probably have no idea how they feel --- so be supportive of their sense of loss and violation.

Take action.  Do what you can to safeguard against this happening to your home or another neighbor's home.  Have the police come to explain to a group of homeowners how you can burglar-proof your homes; then take their advice.

I hope you never have to deal with this situation.  If you do, this information should help. 

All The Best To You,

David Mennen
Mortgage Loan Consultant/Owner
Tippecanoe Mortgage, Inc.
Direct: 765-448-1808
dmennen@tippecanoemortgage.com
http://www.davidmennen.com/

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