Experts issue warning over travel habit most of us do without thinking
A home security expert has told Britons that putting your address on your luggage is telling burglars to 'help yourself' to their house.
Carlos Dhunay, home security expert at Telcam Security Solutions, says: 'Putting a residential address on your luggage is basically saying: this house is empty, help yourself.'
Many travellers put their full home address on their luggage to ensure it's returned to them if it gets lost.
However, thieves might be alerted to an unoccupied property if they see the address.
Instead of writing a full address, Carlos recommends just listing a mobile number, email address or even a work address on a luggage tag.
He explains: 'That way, airline staff can get in touch if needed, but you're not advertising that your house is unoccupied.'
And there are also a few other easy mistakes that put British tourists at greater risk of burglary.
Carlos reveals: 'Leaving a light on 24/7 can actually tip people off that you're away. Instead, use smart lights or timers to mimic normal activity patterns.
'Motion-activated lights and other outdoor security lighting are also a good way to deter potential burglars.'
The expert also recommends cancelling any regular deliveries while you're away and asking a neighbour to keep an eye out for parcels.
And while it might be tempting to share constant holiday updates, it might be best to wait until you're home.
Carlos says: 'Avoid talking about holiday dates or duration in a public place or around strangers. And, if you plan to use an "out of office" at work, don't specify that you're leaving your home unoccupied.
'Never advertise on social media that you are away - wait until you're home to post.
'There are more than 16.3 million uploads from airports, revealing potentially dangerous information about holiday location and duration, and these may be seen by potential burglars.'
Go Compare recently found that 36 per cent of holidaymakers post their holiday pictures while they're away, potentially advertising their absence to burglars.
The insurance company warns that thieves can use the information 'to their advantage', especially if people don't have 'fully private' social profiles.
'If the worst does happen, sharing holiday photos could also create issues with your home insurance,' says a spokesperson from Go Compare.
'Although insurers don't explicitly say that posting on social media will invalidate your insurance, as a policyholder, you're obligated to keep your belongings secure, and posting publicly that your property is empty could be deemed as not taking the proper precautions to protect your home.'
The insurance company says holidaymakers should 'play it safe' and wait until they're home to post on socials.
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