A THIEF who broke into a string of cars on a Horwich estate before being captured by two brave neighbours has been given a suspended jail term.

Joshua Birchall broke into the vehicles on The Meadows estate, near Middlebrook Retail Park, in the middle of the night on June 7.

But he was followed and apprehended by friends Alexander Pickering and Robert Winteringham until the police arrived.

The two university students, who were back living at their family homes, chased and grabbed the 21-year-old in Holbeck Close after noticing him breaking into yet another car in the cul-de-sac.

Birchall admitted the theft of sunglasses, prescription glasses, a mobile phone charger, an iPod and a can of Coke from one vehicle at Bolton Magistrates' Court the following day.

Courageous neighbours chase and detain car thief 

He admitted the theft of £3 in loose change from another, theft of a £20 rucksack from a third and theft of a Tom Tom sat nav, sunglasses, a mobile telephone and black leather gloves worth a total of £207 from a fourth.

The defendant also admitted three counts of attempted theft from cars and had a further three thefts from cars committed during his night-time Horwich spree taken into consideration.

He also admitted burgling a company called Manchester Same Day on June 4 in which he stole two Honda 125 motorcycles.

Birchall was sentenced at the magistrates' court.

He received concurrent three month prison terms, suspended for 18 months, for the each of the thefts and a concurrent six-month period in jail, suspended for 18 months, for the burglary.

The magistrates imposed a 12-week electronically-monitored 8pm-to-7am curfew and ordered the Maple Crescent, Leigh, resident to complete 35 days of a rehabilitation activity.