A mum has issued an important warning after being targeted by a clever bean burglary trick.
Maria Celino-Straker woke up to find a disgusting mess of kidney beans on her doorstep on Monday morning (August 16).
At first, she thought she'd just been the victim of a silly prank, as reported by Manchester Evening News.
But after her speaking to one of her family members, 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.
"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 social media post has since been shared over 2,000 times by other Facebook users wanting to warn their friends and neighbours.
Maria lives in the North East, but says she was told by her relative 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.
