Homeowners 'should hide keys'

People who leave keys on view inside their houses could be increasing their chances of having to make a home insurance claim, it has been suggested.

Opportunistic thieves are taking advantage of unwitting home owners who leave their keys in plain-view, making them easy targets for a "quick-hit" burglary.

The Police have warned home owners to keep all posessions away from windows and out of view of thieves.

One expert said, "It's like offering thieves the keys to your car on a silver plate. You wouldn't leave your wallet on your garden wall at night, so why leave valuables in plain-view? All it takes is a smashed window and 30 seconds and the thief will be away."

In a case that occured recently, thieves smashed a homeowners window because they saw vehicle keys on the table inside.

The criminals took the keys and as a result were able to get away with two valuable motorbikes from the garage.

The Harley Davidson machines were worth £14,000 and £22,000.

On this occasion, nothing else was stolen from the house but this will not necessarily always be the case and such an incident could result in residents having to make a claim on their home insurance.

Police also suggest that homeowners make sure their houses aren't advertising easy entry to thieves. Many people forget to keep their burglar alarms maintained, windows shut and garden gates locked, all of these can attract the attention of criminals looking to make a wuick and easy raid.

People who have to make a claim may find the cost of their premiums rises, so leaving keys in view could prove to be a costly mistake.