With police authorities claiming that popular social networking sites - like Facebook and Twitter - are apparently being monitored by burglars to find out when the users make a mention of their plans for holiday activities, it is being advised that the users of social media sites should refrain from disclosing their whereabouts during the holiday season this year.

According to the statistics shared by the FBI, as many as 400,000 robberies take place round the country during the months of November and December, mostly when people are out for their holiday shopping or at a holiday party.

The police are of the opinion that the burglars are on lookout for such posts of the social media's users that mention when they are not at home; and that the users may probably get a shock of their lives when they hear the details of the perpetrators.

Noting that in a number of instances the perpetrators are either known to the victims or are, at least, associated with them, Elmira Police Captain Anthony Alvernaz said that the perpetrator "might be somebody at work, a family member or someone who lives in the neighborhood that's down the street or across the street."

However, it is also being mentioned by the police that watchful users can actually make their posts on the social media work to their advantage --- they can upload such posts which give the impression that their family is home during the holidays!