The short answer
Direct answer
Secure the property and document it before cleaning anything. Photograph all damage, obtain a police report number, then board up openings to make the building secure. Cleaning and restoration of surfaces, glazing, contents and any residue follow once the scene has been recorded and released.
Document before you touch anything
Photograph every damaged area, every point of entry and every disturbed room before anything is moved or cleaned. Obtain the police report reference, because most insurers will require it.
This is the step people skip because the instinct after a break-in is to restore order immediately. Cleaning first destroys both the evidence and the claim documentation.
Make the building secure
Board-up of broken openings, temporary covering of damaged glazing and securing of forced doors are the immediate priority once documentation is complete. An insecure property invites a second incident, and insurers generally expect reasonable steps to prevent further loss.
Temporary security is exactly that. Permanent glazing, door and lock replacement is a separate scope and a different trade.
Start the restoration request
Need restoration service for this property?
Send the address, callback number and a short description of the damage. You do not need to diagnose the problem before requesting help.
What restoration actually covers
Cleaning and repair of damaged surfaces, removal of graffiti or residue, glass and debris clearance, and cleaning or restoration of affected contents. Where fluids or biological material are involved, that is handled with the appropriate contamination controls.
Structural repair, permanent glazing and security hardware are separate trades that follow the cleanup.
- Photographs of every affected area, before cleaning
- The police report reference number
- An inventory of what is damaged or missing
- Points of entry, photographed in place
- Any residue, fluid or biological material present
- Whether the property is occupied or vacant
Vacant and seasonal property
Empty buildings are disproportionately affected, and in this region that means seasonal camps and second homes across the outlying towns as much as vacant commercial space.
For those properties the loss is compounded by time: a break-in in November discovered in April means months of weather entering through the opening, which turns a security incident into a water and mould project.
Graffiti and surface damage
Removing graffiti depends on the substrate as much as the medium. Sealed and non-porous surfaces frequently clean without trace; porous masonry, unfinished wood and painted surfaces in poor condition absorb, and aggressive removal can do more visible harm than the marking did.
On an older building the right approach is often the gentlest method that works, tested in an inconspicuous area first. In a pre-1978 building, any method that disturbs paint also brings lead-safe work practice requirements into scope.
What insurers usually want to see
A police report reference, photographs taken before any cleaning, an inventory of what is damaged or missing, and evidence that the property was secured promptly afterwards. Where a policy carries vacant-property conditions, whether they were met becomes part of the conversation.
Keep the receipts for emergency securing work. Reasonable steps to prevent further loss are commonly reimbursable even where the wider claim is still being assessed.
Break-in and vandalism cleanup locally
Two local situations produce most of this work: unoccupied seasonal property across Colchester, Charlotte, Cambridge and Jeffersonville, and commercial premises along the region's retail corridors. In both, the damage is usually a combination of forced entry, an open envelope and whatever the weather did afterwards.
In a Vermont winter the secondary damage frequently exceeds the primary. A building left open loses heat, freezes pipes and takes on snow, so securing the envelope is the first priority even when the visible damage looks minor.
Step by step
How break-in and vandalism cleanup is handled
Secondary damage from an open building usually exceeds the primary damage.
Wait for the scene to be released
Where police are involved, nothing is disturbed until the scene is released. Photograph from outside the area until then.Document the damage thoroughly
Entry points, damage, missing items and any substances involved, before cleanup begins.Secure the envelope
Board-up and temporary cover stop weather, freezing and a repeat entry. In winter this is the highest-value step on the list.Clean by substance
Glass, graffiti, paint, fire-extinguisher discharge and biological material each need a different method and different protection.Restore affected surfaces
Damaged finishes, doors, frames and glazing are repaired or replaced, and treated substrates are sealed where needed before refinishing.Improve the weak point
The entry point is worth strengthening rather than simply restoring, because it was chosen for a reason.
Clear answers
Common questions
Should I clean up before the police attend?
No. Photograph everything and wait for the scene to be recorded. Cleaning first destroys both the evidence and the documentation your insurer will ask for.
Will insurance cover vandalism?
Vandalism and malicious damage are commonly covered, though vacant-property conditions in a policy can affect it. A police report reference is normally required.
How quickly should the building be secured?
As soon as documentation is complete. An insecure building invites a second incident, and insurers generally expect reasonable steps to prevent further loss.
Is board-up permanent?
No. It is temporary protection until glazing, doors and hardware are properly replaced, which is a separate scope and a different trade.
What if there are fluids or biological material?
That is handled with contamination controls appropriate to the material rather than as ordinary cleaning, and it should be identified in the scope rather than absorbed into it.
My seasonal property was broken into months ago. What now?
Expect a compound loss. Months of weather through an open building means the water and mould assessment matters as much as the vandalism itself.
Who do I call first?
Police, for the report. Then your insurer, then a company that can secure the property. Documentation happens before any of the cleanup.
Authoritative references
Sources used on this page
Time-sensitive rules and public guidance should be checked at the source before work begins.