A LEIGH man was caught breaking into multiple cars in the middle of the night.

Joshua Birchall, of Maple Crescent, admitted four counts of theft and three of attempted theft at Bolton Magistrates' Court on June 8 and will appear at Bolton Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday.

The 21-year-old, who magistrates noted was a ‘persistent offender’, had been spotted stealing from cars parked up on The Winters estate, opposite Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, at around 1am on June 7.

Neighbours and university students Alexander Pickering, 21, and Robert Winteringham, 20, worked together to chase, corner and capture Birchall until officers were able to make an arrest.

Mr Pickering's father Mark said: "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."

Birchall's haul from cars on The Meadows estate included a sat-nav device, mobile phone, black leather gloves, sunglasses, prescription glasses, mobile telephone charger, iPod, soft drink can, £3 in loose change and a £20 rucksack.

The following morning police officers and PCSOs flooded the estate to speak to residents, several of whom had woken up to find their car had been tampered with.

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."