Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn moreNowadays, preparing your home to be left uninhabited for a week or two while you jet off abroad isn’t as simple as putting your jewellery in a drawer and locking the door. Burglars are a lot more sophisticated with their techniques and there were 245,284 incidents across England and Wales between March 2024 and 2025. London was the most burgled area, according to ADT’s burglary report, followed by West Midlands and West Yorkshire. Fortunately, there are plenty of innovative and handy ways to keep your home secure, meaning you don’t have to worry so much and can focus on spending precious time on the beach instead. ‘When a burglar is scoping out a property, they will often look for a signal that no one is inside,’ Alastair Park, country manager for security company Reolink UK and Ireland, tells the Daily Mail.Things like parcels left on the doorstep for several days, lights staying off and bins out of place long after the collections were due, are all tell-tale signs you could be on holiday. Experts share their tips for keeping your home secure while you go on holiday Homes that don’t have cameras or visible surveillance technology are also appealing to robbers.’Burglars also tend to favour properties where they believe they can act without being seen or recorded,’ Alastair says. ‘This is especially true in homes that have no visible smart security measures, such as properties without video doorbells or cameras, which burglars are more likely to view as ‘low risk’ of being caught’.Such technology allows you to ‘monitor any movements from around your property as well as receiving instant alerts if any suspicious motion is detected’ – all from the comfort of a poolside sunbed in Spain. Putting in measures to make your home appear occupied can also help deter burglars, like, ‘Asking a friend or neighbour to collect any parcels from the doorstep or move bins post-collection day.”Locking doors, making sure all windows are fully locked and closed and keeping valuables out of view are all simple steps that we can all take to deter burglars,’ Alastair adds.Robbers are also attracted to ‘hiding spots that are camouflaged by the dark’. To combat this, the expert recommends motion-activated lighting to avoid any dark spots around your home. ‘Combining several security measures will together make your home far less attractive to burglars,’ he says.As for whether you should leave your curtains open or closed, and whether lights should be turned on or off, Alastair urges Brits to ‘mirror your curtains in their usual position and ask a family member or neighbour to occasionally open and close them’.Meanwhile, Nathan Blackler, home insurance expert at Go.Compare, recommends other ‘simple steps’ including ‘using timer switches or smart plugs to turn lights on in the evening’.Other factors like, ‘ensuring all doors, windows and gates are securely locked can all help make your property a less attractive target,’ he says.Slipping up on social media is another thing to look out for. It may be tempting to post photos of the beach on holiday, but doing so on a public profile can flag that your home is empty. ‘Waiting to publish any holiday photos or, alternatively, having a private friends and family social media account is the safest approach,’ Alastair says.Nathan also highlights the importance of checking your home insurance policy before travelling. ‘Many policies have limits on how long a property can be left unoccupied, and some require security systems to remain active or for insurers to be notified about extended trips,’ he adds.’Checking your contents cover is also really important to ensure it reflects the value of your belongings, so you have the right level of protection if you need to make a claim. Taking these simple steps before you leave can help protect your home, your possessions and your peace of mind while you’re away.’