The government wants passports to be protected like iPods

Its survey suggests Britons do more at home to protect electronic gadgets and jewellery than their passports.

The Home Office says passports are actually far more valuable than gadgets to thieves who want them for terrorism, illegal migration and money laundering.

It is urging people to lock them away at home rather than leave them on a sideboard or in a file.

An online poll by FDS for the Home Office's Identity and Passport Service, of 1,064 adult passport holders, found that 22% locked their passports away.

But 28% said their iPods, jewellery and other valuables were locked up and another 44% said they were kept securely, with 1% saying they kept them in the underwear drawer.

When they were abroad, 58% put their passport in a hotel safe, 8% leave it in a suitcase, 4% carry it around with them and 6% hide it in their room.

'Fast growing crime'

The survey also highlighted differences in people's attitudes if their mobile phone or passport was stolen.

Almost eight out of 10 said they would contact their mobile phone company on the day it was stolen, compared with 65% who said they would immediately report the loss of their passport.

Bernard Herdan, executive director of the Identity and Passport Service, said: "Passports are often not seen as valuable so get left on a sideboard or put in a file.

"However, to a thief they are far more valuable than many gadgets and are likely to get stolen in a burglary if not securely locked away.

"Your passport is a key identity document and must be looked after. Identity fraud is one of Britain's fastest growing crimes, enabling other crimes such as illegal immigration, money laundering, people trafficking and terrorism."