EFFICIENT CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS have the bulk of their festive purchases made now and have only to stow them away, out of the view of curious loved ones – and burglars.

Recent research by PhoneWatch found the average household in Ireland stores €500 worth of gifts. Almost half of Irish people leave their presents under the tree at an early stage, which is something security experts have advised against.

The survey found 46% of people store presents in wardrobes or closets, 15% keep them in the attic and 10% hide them under the bed. A small percentage said they hid presents under the stairs, or in their car boot.

Gardaí have advised people to ensure any presents stored in their cars are out of sight to avoid becoming a target for thieves.

Phonewatch has advised people to try some different hiding places this year, to make it more difficult for burglars to find and steal the gifts they have carefully chosen and paid for.

• Avoid the obvious locations, which are the first place anyone would look;
• Use empty decoy boxes under the tree;
• An attic is often a safe location, but be careful to not to leave them in open view, conceal them in boxes;
• For smaller items such as jewellery hide them in a sock or old shoe at the back of the wardrobe;
• The kitchen is filled with old boxes and jars which could be used to conceal something special;
• Use the space under heavy furniture such as bedroom drawers;
• A safe or other locked cabinet is also a safe spot for highly prized items such as jewellery.

Read: ‘This is simply a gift to any burglar’: How to protect yourself this Christmas>

Read: Gardaí out in force for Christmas enforcement campaign>