A BIRDHOUSE was snatched from a homeowner's front garden in a bizarre broad daylight theft, prompting a councillor to say she “can’t believe the cheek of some people”.

CCTV footage captured on Monday afternoon and seen by the Gazette shows the moment a woman runs into a resident’s garden in Colchester.

After briefly going out of the sight of the Ring doorbell camera, she reappears a few seconds later carrying a large wooden birdhouse.

On her way to her car, she is shown appearing to bash the seemingly heavy enclosure on the homeowner's front gate.

Gazette: Strange - The moment the woman runs into the homeowner's garden in ColchesterStrange - The moment the woman runs into the homeowner's garden in Colchester (Image: Public)

The individual then places the birdhouse into the car where a second person is waiting, before the two drive off.

Natalie Sommers, who is Colchester Council’s portfolio holder for communities, said any thefts should be reported by the police so the authorities can see if there is a pattern of activity they can decipher.

She said: “Any theft is distressing and I would encourage anyone who this has happened to to report it to the police – it allows them to look at a pattern, if there is one.

“Burglaries are falling, but I would still encourage people to take necessary precautions, because there are a number of things they can do.

“There is a booklet on garden safety on Colchester’s Neighbourhood Watch website – it’s all about taking the necessary precautions where you can.”

Mrs Sommers also took an extremely dim view of people who are behind crimes such as this one. 

She said: “I can’t believe the cheek of some people to stroll in and take things from someone’s front garden.

“Ring doorbells can be very good [for catching people] but people will always take chances.”

Gazette: Bizarre - The woman is seen leaving the garden with the birdhouse under her armBizarre - The woman is seen leaving the garden with the birdhouse under her arm (Image: Public)

Since the footage was posted on social media a second resident, who lives in Roach Vale, has come forward to say she has also recently had items stolen from her garden, in the form of ornaments.

The latest spate of garden thefts come after a phantom thief was caught on camera stealing hanging baskets from a Colchester home in the middle of the night.

Anyone with any information about thefts in Colchester should contact Essex Police on 101.