The top 10 most stolen items at Christmas

Burglary offences recorded by the police saw a slight (4 per cent) decrease to 417,416 year ending June 2019, but as our homes fill with expensive gifts in the run up to the big day, the rate of domestic burglaries is expected to increase.

Paul Keighley, managing director at Rectella International Ltd, distributors of Patlock, shared his top tips for keeping your home safe this Christmas.

He said: "Keep presents out of sight – you may think nothing looks more festive that a bounty of presents laid out under the Christmas tree, but a burglar does too so it’s best to leave presents well out of sight until the big day.

"Don’t be too social – 78% of burglars are now using social media to target homes, so make sure you’re not advertising your empty house to the world when you’re off for a winter stroll or on your work’s Christmas night out.

"Shred your receipts and break down boxes – crooks often use your rubbish to give them clues as to what presents you’ve bought over Christmas period, and what goodies may be lying in waiting inside your home.

"Make sure you’re covered – if the worst happens, having appropriate contents insurance can make all the difference. And, although some insurers automatically increase the value of your contents during the season of goodwill, it’s certainly worth checking what is and isn’t covered."

So, what are the top gifts burglars are hoping to bag this Christmas?

Here is the top 10:

Apple Watch Series 5 (From £399)

DELL XPS 13 (From £1,299)

Nintendo Switch Lite (From £199.99)

FITBIT Versa 2 (From £199.99)

Fendi Baguette (From £1,850)

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (From £299.99)

Shark DuoClean Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with Powered Lift-Away & TruePet (From £549.99)

Rolex GMT-Master (From £11,130)

BOSE Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 (From £299)

instax SQUARE SQ20 (From £179.99)