This doorbell footage captures the moment a woman steals a BIRDHOUSE from a homeowner's garden.

The video shows the brazen thief run into the resident’s garden in Colchester, Essex on July 17.

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

On her way to her car, she bashes the seemingly heavy enclosure on the homeowner's front gate.

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

In support of the homeowner, Natalie Sommers, who is Colchester Council’s portfolio holder for communities, 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."

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

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