SOCIAL NETWORKING-savvy burglars can  strike gold on websites like Facebook and Twitter when users display their travel and work plans.

Out of thoughtlessness or a false sense of security (you are among “friends” after all) many people post their plans online. As innocent as it may seem, its not always safe.

The UK-based insurance company More Than conducted a survey, asking 50 former criminals how they chose their targets. Monitoring victims on social networking sites and examining their updates and posts was common.

Some even monitor mobile Twitter users, to see where they are at any given moment.

With many users placing personal details, like their address or telephone number, on social networking sites all that a would-be burglar needs to do is log on to see when you’re safely out of the way.

Pete Markey, a spokesman for More Than, said that today’s burglars are combining old techniques with new.

He added, “Using Facebook or Twitter to boast about a big night out or a fortnight in Barbados may impress friends and colleagues, but it’s enough to give the social-media savvy burglar all they need to know.”

According to the results of the survey, 68% of burglars said they collected information about their target’s home or daily routine in advance of a robbery.