A resident in the Sholver and Moorside area of Oldham has claimed two men were seen stealing furniture from neighbours' gardens this week.

At approximately 6.50am on Tuesday (June 27), two men were reportedly seen sneaking into people's gardens and pinching items in Sholver.

It is alleged the duo, dubbed by neighbours as 'Laurel and Hardy', were driving around the area in a van which was loaded with garden goods such as brand-new garden furniture and barbecues.

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In a public notice published on social media, a resident wrote: "Anyone missing garden furniture, rotary washing lines, BBQs, bikes etc out of their gardens this morning?"

A photograph of the men shows they were walking around the area - and one appeared to be holding what looks like a rotary washing line.

The concerned resident said while his neighbour caught the 'thieves', and he managed to get his stuff back, he had good CCTV footage of the pair "thieving".

The resident is now appealing to fellow neighbours for them to check their own dashcam footage and doorbell cameras.

A woman on the street said her daughter's bicycle went missing the week before - and that "other bits" from her garden were taken at around 6.01am on Tuesday morning.

She said they "walked past" her house initially and then "came in my garden and had a nosey".

Another woman said she recognised the pair and claimed they took "loads out of the skip" at Springfield House.

It is understood the thefts have been reported to police.

Greater Manchester Police has been approached for comment.

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