Sri Lanka Police issued a public advisory on Saturday urging people to avoid sharing real-time social media updates while travelling or away from home during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays, warning that such posts can tip off burglars.
In the notice, police said that sharing check-ins, travel updates, and trip photos on platforms like Facebook and Instagram reveals that homes are unoccupied, making them easy targets for break-ins.
The public was encouraged to follow the “later-gram” concept — posting holiday content only after returning home rather than sharing it in real time. Police stressed that even seemingly harmless updates about travel plans or location can serve as a signal that a residence is empty.
The warning forms part of a broader set of Avurudu security measures that include islandwide tri-forces deployment, expressway CCTV monitoring, and a public hotline for reporting reckless driving.
Police also separately warned the public about online fraud schemes and Avurudu Kumari scams that tend to proliferate during the festive season.
The advisory comes as millions of Sri Lankans travel to their hometowns for the New Year, leaving urban residences unattended for several days.
