Social media posts that help out burglars

First Posted: April 13th 2023

Last Updated: 16th January 2025

We love a good overshare on social media. Whether you’re proud of a photo you took, or love to keep up with what your friends are doing, social media is the perfect place to do all of those things and more.

However, like any other digital platform, sharing just that bit too much can come with a whole host of risks. We aren’t just talking about cybersecurity here, we’re talking about home security and how burglars could use social media profiles to track your home down, and gain unauthorised access to your property. 

So what social posts do burglars look for, to steal from you? 

We’ll dive into how burglars can use social media to commit crimes, the type of posts they might be looking out for, and tips on how to keep you and your home safe from real-life burglars skulking about on social media.

How do burglars use social media?

There are many things a burglar doesn’t want you to know - including that they may be stalking you online. Perhaps they’ve identified you as someone who lives close by, or consider you to be someone of influence that they’ve taken an interest in. 

No matter the motive, the burglar could crawl through all of your social media profiles to spot things like your whereabouts, personal information, check-ins and all of the above for your friends and family too. Once they build a profile of how you typically go about your business, they can start to determine where you’ll be (or not be). It's through this method that they can then figure out when you’re not home to commit a burglary, or worse, take things further. 

If the latter is ever the case, alert the local authorities in the first instance, and refer to stalking or harassment offences that can be found in sections 2, 2A, 4 and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (PHA 1997) and section 42A (1) Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 for more information. 

You can read more about the difference between a robbery and a burglary in our blog post, should you ever need to report a burglary to the police. 

What do burglars look for?

There are lots of techniques burglars use to target people. However, in the case of social media posts, a burglar can look out for key information about the person - such as where they go, their shopping habits, who they hang out with and so on. Information like this can be easily obtained from social media in their personal profile information (or ‘bio’) and indicate where the person works too. If a burglar is that meticulous, they can use directories such as the 192 electoral roll to look up names for an address, as well as who else they might live with.

When they have a good idea of the person’s habits and where they live, they can then attempt to work out when they’ll be out of the house, when they may be going on holiday (especially if they post about it), and other posts that may indicate they’re not at home. 

This gives burglars the time to strike.

Social media posts that help burglars

Now that we know how burglars use social media, what kind of social media posts and activity can put you at risk?

1. Geotagging or check-in posts

Summer holiday scams are already a worry in itself, so don’t let something as (seemingly) small as tagging your location put you at risk.

But isn’t it cool you’re on a beautiful sandy beach in Spain? Your followers may think so, and so will the burglar stalking your profile. Assuming they’ve built a profile on who you are and where you live, they’ll be quick to assume you’re out of the house so they can slip in and take your possessions.

Therefore, you should be careful when you use the geotagging function on social media. Even if it’s to tag you’re at a local restaurant, it’ll still tell your burglar you’re away from home.

2. Bragging

Humble or otherwise, bragging about where you are or what you own can put your safety at risk. 

We get it, showing you’re in an exciting location can make your peers jealous, or perhaps you got your hands on the latest tech and you want to show your followers that you’re ahead of the curve. But in reality, what this can do is show burglars the types of items you invest in. 

Celebrities and influencers aren’t exempt from this either. Figures like Kim Kardashian and Frank Lampard, who are known to have lavish lifestyles, had their break-ins publicised in the media. Another example is Kieren Hamilton, a well-known cryptocurrency trader from Manchester who posted about their material possessions often, which led to a break-in and assault in their home.

3. Moving in posts

At the time of writing, the #movinghome TikTok tag had more than 34.7 million views, so this type of post is clearly very popular. Let’s face it, moving home or buying your first home is an exciting time for everyone involved - but it can be especially exciting for burglars, too. 

So if you’re thinking about posting a photo of your new set of keys (as well as the property itself), you may want to think twice. A burglar may attempt to trace it and take it to a locksmith to get a key cut. The debate around whether this works has often leaned towards “yes”, but concrete evidence is lacking. Regardless, it’s just not worth the risk.

If you are moving, then you’ll need to protect your home while it’s for sale too. Read our guide about how to protect your home during the moving process to help ensure no burglars will be popping in for a peek (or more).

4. Your selfies

We love a good selfie, but have you got something in the background that’s precious to you? 

From consoles to jewellery, you may want to think twice about posting these in the background of your photos. Why? Because it yet again builds a profile for the burglar to know what you keep inside your home, and where those things are kept. 

Other ways burglars can use your online presence 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but it can also pay the price of your safety too. These days, whilst technology is making our lives so much easier, it’s also making the stalking process easier for burglars too. 

1. Hidden picture data 

Images taken on smartphones now hold hidden data, known as EXIF data. This information held in the image can tell you where the picture was taken, when it was taken, and on what device. 

So, when posting a picture, even if nothing is shown in the background and you geotagged after the fact, a burglar can still find out where you were and when the image was taken, to help keep a track of your whereabouts. 

Plus, it also tells them what smartphone you have, should they want to steal that too - you can find more advice on what to do if your smartphone is stolen, through our helpful guide.

2. Reverse image searching 

Not many people think about their digital footprint, but it can be a scary concept when you consider how much you post online. 

Burglars can use any selfie you post to reverse image search it, very easily using a feature on Google Images. This can tell them what other public social media platforms you posted this picture on, which can help them build a greater picture or profile on who you are and what you get up to. 

How to protect yourself on social media

If you want to limit your chances of theft or a burglary attempt in your home, here are some simple yet highly effective ways to protect yourself and your home through securing your social media: 

1. Change your privacy settings

If you have no real reason to keep your profile public, then consider setting it to private. This is especially true if you only use social media to stay in touch with trusted friends and family. This way, only the people you know personally can view what you post - and hopefully, burglars can’t.

2. Turn off location tracking

If you don’t want to keep your social profiles private, then consider not posting your location and/or turning off your location tracking entirely. 

It’s tempting to tag yourself at a cool location with friends, but this will yet again alert whoever’s stalking your profile that you aren’t home. Apps like Snapchat have location sharing enabled so you can track where your friends are, and your friends can track your location too. To keep your location private, consider turning these settings off so you don’t endanger yourself or your home.

3. Upload posts in the future

Instead of posting where you are in the current moment, consider posting it when you’re back home instead. This way, you can share the location in which you were in, but you’ll be home - which may deter the burglar from attempting to break in. 

4. Frame your shot

If you love taking a selfie, do so on a plain background, or one where it doesn’t reveal where you are or what possessions you own. The same goes for capturing objects you like - take the photo close up so that it doesn’t reveal the rest of your home, or hide your valuables out of frame before taking the shot.

5. Decline unknown requests

Even if you have a mutual friend or follower with the person that’s requested a connection, if you don’t know them, don’t accept it. This may seem like a simple step to take, but your posts could give a stranger enough to build a profile on you and attempt something as serious as a burglary.

More ways to protect yourself against burglars 

Securing your social media isn’t the only way to protect your home and family from burglars. Here are some more helpful tips and bits of advice to keep yourself protected, no matter where you are or what you post online:

1. Install a home security system 

Home security systems are one of the best ways to help protect your home. 

From house alarms to entry sensors, these devices alert you to any unauthorised entry into your home and help you keep tabs on what's going on at home, from wherever you are - when connected to your smartphone app. 

Home security systems can also act as a burglar deterrent in themselves. No wannabe criminal wants to get caught, so the sight of a property with visible security can often make them think twice before attempting to burglar your home. 

2. Consider professional monitoring 

When you’re away from home, you may not have the time, or the signal, to constantly be checking your home security app. That’s where a professional monitoring service comes to save the day.

With this add-on service, a professional monitoring centre can provide your home with a 24/7 service, which can visually verify home security threats, through your security cameras, if your system is triggered by a break-in. They will then attempt to contact you, along with requesting a police response to check in on your home. Rest easy knowing your home is always protected. 

3. Make your home look occupied when you’re away 

Empty homes may be target for burglars, so, the best way to combat this is to trick burglars into thinking your home is occupied. 

Ways you can do this include keeping lights on timers, a porch light on at night, radios playing, and asking trusted neighbours to collect your mail and deliveries whilst you’re away. These small actions mimic the homeowner being present, and a burglar will think twice before attempting to break into a property they think someone is in. 

4. Protect your pets 

Though valuables are the first thing you’d expect a burglar might be after, we often forget the value of our fur-babies too. Whilst they may seem like priceless members of the family, many breeds often have a hefty price-tag attached to them. 

Prevent pet theft by trying to avoid leaving your furry friends alone at home, or without the protection of a home security system. Remember to secure doggy doors and cat flaps, and consider investing in pet trackers - so you know where they are at all times.  

5. Shred personal information 

Ever heard the phrase, ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’? Whilst it is too easy to just recycle old bank statements and other sensitive and personal documents, burglars have been known to root through the bins of their prospective break-in homes. 

The information kept on these pieces of paper can tell a burglar your address, what you own, and even help them commit identity or financial fraud. So, instead of just throwing it out, ensure to shed all documents with personal information on it. 

Want to deter burglars and have extra home security? Contact SimpliSafe to find out how we can help secure your home from theft, or check out our blog for more information and advice.