Nowadays people take to Facebook and Twitter to express their opinions about everything - and often to share their joys too. But be aware that if you're uploading your vacation snaps whilst still on vacation you could be inviting burglars to come and raid your homes.

According to the Irish Examiner, Police Detective Niall Featherstone from the Irish National Crime Prevention said people needed to be careful about the information they disclosed on social networks.

'Last year, there were 26,500 burglaries around Ireland. This year to date up to up to Jul 31, we have seen a 7% increase. A recent phenomenon is where some people go on social media sites and they would advertise the fact that they are not at home and that they are on holidays and away from the home. It’s not a wise move. We do have people looking in on that.'

Burglars gain access to homes through unsecured front doors or windows, Featherstone revealed.

'Almost a third of burglaries happen when a front door or a front window is unsecured. It is a very, very simple but very stark fact. Those kinds of simple things can make a big difference. We are now coming into the winter months and traditionally burglaries will increase this time of year. When you leave your home, leave it secure.'

'The top three things would be cash, jewellery, and electronic items such as tablets or laptops. We would ask people especially with cash not to leave large amounts of it lying around at home. Believe it or not, that is happening.'

When thieves know you and your family are not home it allows them more time to commit their robbery and steal more of your valuables.

A recent US survey found that around 15 percent of Americans use social media to claim they are on vacation or have left their homes, and about 35 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 to 34 often tweet about their current location.