Confused.com has claimed that people who use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook could eventually face hikes in their home insurance premiums.

It sounded this warning after a burglary ring in Nashua, New Hampshire, targeted people who checked into places on Facebook, alerting them when they were not home. The police caught them after they broke into 50 homes and stole $100,000 worth of items.

Earlier this year, Confused.com predicted the new wave in social media could eventually lead to big hikes in home insurance premiums. Gareth Kloet, head of home insurance at Confused.com said: “What’s happened in the US could be the start of a worrying trend and if insurance providers see it as a potential risk