Reformed burglars give home insurance advice

Homeowners have been given some tips by reformed criminals on preventing home insurance claims as a result of burglaries .

Research by MORE THN found that 68 per cent of ex-burglars collected information about a target before committing the crime, while 78 per cent said they would always look for a hidden key.

Meanwhile, 12 per cent said they would use social networking sites such as Facebook so that they would know when their target is away.

Pete Markey, spokesperson at MORE THN, commented on how criminals appear to be combining new and old ways of breaking into properties .

These findings also show there's no such thing as a 'safe house' and that's why security, common sense and insurance cover are essential.

By exposing the tricks of the trade and the adverts to thieves in this report, we're helping homeowners to protect their properties from thieves.

As well as the house itself, it is always important to also lock any garden sheds as they often contain valuable items such as lawnmowers .