A thief was caught on camera doing a face plant while trying to steal a garden gnome. (SWNS)
This is the hilarious moment a crook was caught on camera stealing a two-feet-tall gnome before falling head first through a fence as he tried to make his escape.
Comical CCTV footage shows the man sneaking along a path at the side of a house before he reappears moments later carrying the garden ornament.
But the gnome appears to be too heavy for the green-fingered thief and he can then be seen toppling head first through a neighbour's trellis fence as he tries to flee the scene.
He slowly reemerges from the bushes looking worse for wear but still clutching the stolen property. He then calmly walks away with under both arms.
CCTV footage shows the man sneaking along a path at the side of a house before he reappears moments later carrying the garden ornament. (SWNS)
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Police in the English town of Northamptonshire released the footage Tuesday in a bid to catch the suspect, who struck on Weekley Glebe Road, in Kettering, Northants., at 4:45 a.m. on July 1.
A force spokesperson said: "Police officers have released CCTV footage of a man they wish to speak to in connection with the theft of a two-foot garden gnome in Kettering.
"The incident happened on Sunday, July 1, at about 4:45 a.m. when a man picked up the gnome from a front garden in the area before falling into trellis fencing.
"He then got back to his feet and made off with the gnome which was later found destroyed outside a nearby block of flats.
"At the time of the offence, the gnome was wearing a red hat and blue jacket."
After the force shared the footage on social media, web users were quick to mock the crook's clumsy attempts to escape.
"I thought watching a gnome theft would be bizarre enough...but I certainly wasn't expecting that. He must have had a few that night," someone commented on social media. (SWNS)
"I know I shouldn’t laugh but that has finished me off," one person wrote.
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"I had to check that it’s not April 1st!!!!" somene commented.
"I thought watching a gnome theft would be bizarre enough...but I certainly wasn't expecting that. He must have had a few that night," another person wrote.
"I know it's stealing but it's pretty funny," someone else added.