FROM the outside, to an untrained eye, an innocuous street could appear to be as safe as houses.

But to a burglar your home gives away various tell-tale signs that it is a great place to break into.

Ex-police officer Roger Foster now crime reduction adviser for the Vale of White Horse, quickly spotted a handful of potential problems on a short walk along two streets in Abingdon.

Turning into Hedgemead Avenue, Mr Foster immediately pointed out a three metre high hedge, which a burglar could use to shield himself from neighbours’ eyes.

He said: “A hedge like this obscures the house from the road and a burglar would look to exploit this.

“Once someone has gone round the hedge there is no surveillance.”

A neighbouring house raised alarm bells because the side gate had horizontal bars which could be easily scaled by a lightweight burglar of thief.

Mr Foster added: “You must make it as difficult as possible. But generally this is a good safe area, because most of the houses have security lights, there are large open spaces and neighbours can look out over other people’s property.”

In Waxes Close two more homes raised danger signs because of high hedges, Mr Foster added. One home stood out because it had a damaged wall and overgrown garden.

Mr Foster said: “A burglar could see that wall as a signal that the person who lives there may not be fit and able so could be an easy target. An overgrown garden can also be a sign that the person is elderly or vulnerable.”

At least two residents in Waxes Close had left second floor windows open.

Mr Foster said: “The window at the front often isn’t the problem. A burglar would not risk being seen breaking in at the front.

“But a similar window open at the rear would set alarm bells ringing.”

Next door a garden fence had been built inside out and drew criticism for providing a green light for a burglar to get inside.

He added: “These fences have horizontal bars on the outside which act as a climbing frame.”

Anyone can ask for a police crime reduction adviser to carry out a free survey.

Ian Faulkner, 65, lived at one of the homes picked out by Mr Foster for having a hedge which was too high.

He said: “I’ve had kids vandalise my cars over the years and caused up to £7,000 damage so I will keep the hedge as high as it is to keep them out.”