TWO brave neighbours chased and captured a thief who had broken into several cars in their street in the middle of the night.

They ran after the man after spotting him stealing from vehicles parked up on The Meadows estate, opposite Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, and held him until police arrived.

The pair – University of Oxford history and politics graduate Alexander Pickering, aged 21, and second year University of Salford student Robert Winteringham, aged 20 – have been commended by police for their actions.

Mr Pickering's father Mark, race co-ordinator of Bolton's Ironman, said: "I'm extremely proud. The courage they displayed in pursuing and detaining him until the police came shows a remarkable degree of bravery on their part.

"I was concerned for both of them because if the lad had been breaking into cars he could have had a weapon like a screwdriver."

The break-ins took place at around 1am on Tuesday, June 7. Alex looked through a downstairs window and spotted a man trying the door handles of the family's cars parked on the front driveway.

He alerted his father, who dialled 999 and from an upstairs window saw the offender inside a car parked outside a house across the road.

The former St Joseph's RC High School pupil stepped outside to confront the culprit, who ran off.

Alex went to see Rob, who used to attend Rivington and Blackrod High School and lives nearby. The two knocked on a neighbour's door to tell them their car had just been targeted.

Mr Pickering said: "Alex and Rob went to the top of the close to see if they could see the lad and they overheard another car alarm being activated. From what I understand, they ran up to the top of the close and headed right, and because the road bends sharply to the right, had a view of this lad working on yet another vehicle.

"They ran up and saw the car alarm flashing. They approached the vehicle, the lad ran off and there was a short chase, they cornered him and detained him.

"Both of them had no regard for their own safety and wanted to hold on to this lad, who was protesting his innocence."

Before police officers arrived in Holbeck Gardens, three other residents came out of their properties to see what the commotion was and confirmed their cars had been targeted.

The following morning police officers and PCSOs arrived on the estate to speak to other victims.

Sergeant Laraine Lister, of the Horwich, Heaton and Ladybridge neighbourhood team, said: "One witness describes some 16 vehicles as having been damaged or subject to theft, however at present there are confirmed crimes for seven.

"Clearly the members of the public who detained the male should be congratulated on putting themselves at risk by apprehending an unknown subject, and creating a positive outcome for those victims of crime."

Joshua Birchall, of Maple Crescent, Leigh, admitted four counts of theft and three of attempted theft at Bolton Magistrates' Court on June 8. The 21-year-old will be sentenced on June 23.

His haul included a sat nav device, a mobile phone, black leather gloves, sunglasses, prescription glasses, a mobile telephone charger, an iPod, a can of Coke, £3 in loose change and a £20 rucksack.