Officers should do forensic tests, house-to-house and obtain footage from CCTV cameras or video doorbells.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) says “golden hour” inquiries see more arrests and recovery of stolen property.
The policy will also give victims some peace of mind and promote confidence in the police, the council’s guidelines say.
It comes as latest Home Office figures show no suspect is identified in three out of four residential break-ins in England and Wales and offenders are charged in fewer than four per cent of cases.
A two-year trial of the approach by Greater Manchester Police saw its charge rate rise from three to eight per cent.
GMP’s Supt Chris Foster said: “Previously, it’s been, ‘We can’t do anything about it, sorry. See you later, goodbye. Case closed’.
“Now, we arrest more people and burglary rates are falling.”
In its guidance, the NPCC states: “Effective action during the golden hour will increase the opportunity to identify suspects, protect victims and witnesses, and help to secure positive criminal justice outcomes.”
Despite public concern, burglary is down about 80 per cent on the mid-1990s.
But there are still more than 1,000 breaks-ins a day, with many more simply not reported.