Burglars in the UK are sending unmanned drones over private houses in order to identify potential targets, police have warned.
Drones, or “remotely piloted aircraft” (RPA), can be purchased for as little as £30 although the outlay is likely to be higher for advanced, high definition cameras for both still and video close-up pictures.
The pictures may be used to find points of low security, such as patio doors which could be easily forced open, or exposed items on the property.
Suffolk Constabulary confirmed it had received at least one report of drones being used by burglars to for surveillance of properties.
This new threat to home security is feared to be greater than websites such as Google Street View which had already been accused of helping thieves with its satellite images.
Paul Ford from the Police Federation National Detectives Forum said: “Drones can be noisy and very visible so hopefully criminals risk giving themselves away.
“If members of the public observe drones being used in areas which make them suspicious they should contact police using the 101 non-emergency number to report it.
“We must remain alive to the potential risks posed by the misuse of technology, but at the end of the day this is a reminder to householders to make sure their homes are secure, and to consider any extra security measures they may need such as a burglar alarm.”
A report by the University of Birmingham Policy Commission warned last October that drones are “the ideal lookouts for burglars, train robbers, and poachers” and noted they could be deployed for terrorism.
“Traditional thinking with regard to the defence of buildings, for example, has concentrated on perimeter defence and entry point control. RPA offer the prospect that these defences might simply be bypassed.”
