The rise of Google’s Street View tool has left homes across Britain vulnerable to burglars, police leaders have warned.

Householders should consider asking the internet giant to blur out images of their properties to prevent them being targeted, officers said.

It comes as the head of Neighbourhood Watch warned that Street View allows criminals to scout for “easy pickings”.

Homes on nearly every major residential street in Britain have been made easily visible since Google launched the technology a decade ago.

Since then, a number of burglars have reportedly used the tool to ‘case’ potential targets. Last night a Google spokesman insisted that linking Street View to burglaries was like “blaming the motor industry for crime because criminals also use getaway cars”.

But Richard Cooke, chairman of West Midlands Police Federation, said the technology was “certainly a concern”.

“I’m sure thieves are using this technology to make their jobs easier,” he told the Telegraph. “The police use Street View as a tool, and I believe criminals do too.”

As part of its terms and conditions, Google has agreed to blur out images of people and properties on request.