A mum has issued a warning after being targeted by a clever tactic from potential burglars using a can of kidney beans.
When Maria Celino-Straker woke up to discover a horrible mess of kidney beans sprawled over her doorstep on Monday morning she thought she'd been the target of a silly prank.
But after her speaking to a relative, who is an ex-police officer, she discovered the mess was a sign of something more sinister.
She now believes the kidney beans were used as a tactic by potential burglars wanting to scope out whether people were at home.
"Well I woke up to this left on our doorstep this morning," she wrote in a Facebook post.
"Apparently this is a known trick of burglars.
"If not cleaned up in a couple of days they know you are not home and in they go.
"Thankfully I'm home and cleaned this up, whoever it was done this about 1am this morning.
"Look out for your neighbours especially those who are on holiday."
The post has since been shared more than 2,000 times by other social media users wanting to warn their friends and neighbours.
Maria lives in the North East but says she was told that the trick is a well-known method used by burglars across the country.
"It's not just beans," she said, speaking to the Manchester Evening News.
"They use anything that you would have to clean up and that is not going to wash away with a bit of rain."
The mum says that since learning about the trick, she has been keeping regular tabs on her elderly neighbours and ensuring all her doors are locked.
She wants to raise awareness so that other residents can look out for their elderly neighbours, or those on holiday.
"I posted about it because I wanted to warn people and get them to look out for each other," Maria said.
"If it helps one person it was worth it."
