Derbyshire Police urge residents to think before posting ‘Wish You Were Here’

Derbyshire Police have urged anyone checking in on line to say “Wish you were here?” to think twice, warning that a beach selfie could cost you more than just likes.

A statement said that sharing your holiday snaps on social media might seem harmless, and a great way to show friends and family you're having fun, but it can also alert criminals to the fact that your home is empty.

Many home insurance policies now include exclusions that could invalidate cover if a homeowner posts about being away, and even if a policy doesn’t have a specific social media clause, it will likely include a general ‘duty of care’ condition, meaning you must take reasonable steps to prevent a claim.

The Derbyshire Police statement emphasised that, in short, posting about your holiday while you’re away is like putting a sign on your front door saying, “No one’s home.”

A series of simple steps have been issued to help protect homes whilst owners and occupants are away:

• Wait to share – Post your holiday photos once you’re back. Avoid checking in at airports or hotels while you're away.
• Lock down your social media – Set your profiles to private so only trusted friends and family can see your posts.
• Turn off location services – If enabled, your phone may automatically share your location when you post.
• Review your friends list – Remove anyone you don’t know or trust. A friend request from a stranger might not be as innocent as it seems.
• Control tagging – Ask friends and family not to tag you in posts while you're away. Adjust your settings so you can review tags before they appear.
• Check your insurance policy – Read the fine print or contact your insurer to understand any clauses related to social media use.
• Stay safe, stay covered – and save the sharing for when you’re home.

More home security and crime prevention tips can be found on the Derbyshire Constabulary website.