Easter is here – and so are the holidays

It may be hard to believe amid the snow and ice, but we’re in the middle of spring and our minds are turning to summer holidays. So once again we’d like to send out a warning…

We’ve written before about the dangers of mentioning online the fact that you’re away. And this is backed up by something I read recently: apparently 78 per cent of burglars use Facebook and Twitter to target potentially empty properties. And they’re also using Google Earth and StreetView to plan the way they can break in.

So here’s a useful list I found about how to make your property safer when you’re away, courtesy of a company called Fitted Home Alarms:

• Try not to let the whole world know you are away from your home (or working late or out for a night out). It may not be bad idea to wait till you get home before posting photos or pointing out your ‘current’ location.
• Avoid adding random people to your friend list: only add real friends. Facebook acknowledged in 2012 that about 8.7 per cent or 83 million profiles on Facebook are fake! You should consider creating a close group where only your close friends get updates of your whereabouts.
• Set privacy settings correctly, so only your friends can see your status updates.
• Avoid public status updates that show your home address or as a location in map.
• Avoid posting photos that reveal the whereabouts of your home, or landmarks near home.
• Avoid posting photos of expensive items at your home.

But most of all: enjoy your holiday.