This is the shocking moment a rat rummaged through a vending machine looking for a snack in Singapore.

The intelligent rodent clambered onto the racks of the machine to pilfer savoury food on December 4.

Footage captured by a passerby shows the animal skillfully climbing the dividers and pushing a bag of bread loaf into the tray.

It then came back searching for more snacks - the whole time without inserting a single coin.

The onlooker was left stunned by what he saw and concerned about the hygiene - but impressed by the rat's behaviour.

The filmer said: 'I was so surprised to see the rat inside. I wanted to get something to eat, but I changed my mind when I saw it inside.

'The rodent was so smart, it had figured out how to take the food from the shelves of the machine.'

PETA said rats are natural learners who can master and remember complex tasks. They can learn tricks, recognize tone sequences, and read faces.