Santa Claus may not be the only visitor coming to town with police warning about uninvited and unwelcome guests during the festive season.
Statistics from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSR) reveal Christmas and New Year are peak times for burglaries and break-ins.
The bureau examined NSW Police records of property crimes committed between December 24 to January 2 over a five consecutive years from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016.
On average there were 775 property offences recorded in NSW on Christmas Eve, roughly 32 offences every hour.
The peak number of crimes occurred between 9am to 6pm, while the number of crimes decreasing slightly on Christmas Day.
Property offences include break-ins, car theft, stealing from a person or vehicle, as well as stock and other theft.
New Year's Eve also spawned a crime wave with an average of around 800 incidents and a spike between 6pm on New Year's Eve and 3am on New Year's Day.
A police spokesman said people who go away for extended periods on Christmas holidays should alert neighbours, cancel newspaper deliveries and be careful what they reveal on social media.
"Simple steps can help give the impression that you are not absent for long periods of time," he told AAP.
He warned not to post about expensive new presents, particularly homewares such as flat-screen televisions, laptops and desktop computers.
He urged people to be cautious about sharing holiday plans and destinations online.
"Beware of social media which can advertise to people, who might want to take the opportunity, that you aren't home."
AVOIDING HOLIDAY BREAK-INS
* Leave a light on
* Cancel paper deliveries
* Don't leave garbage bins out
* Leave the radio on a timer
