Homeowners warned against leaving house keys under the mat after spate of burglaries

Many people still leave their spare house keys under the mat or plant, despite an increase in burglaries.

Last week, gardaí arrested several burglars nicknamed ‘the fishermen’ who stole car keys by using an extendable rod to pull them through the letterbox.

An AA Home Insurance survey has found many people continue to hide their keys in obvious places.