Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are warning of an increase in criminals using online selling sites to steal from unsuspecting users.

Neighbourhood police officers issued an alert about the trend affecting websites such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace this week.

Officers said there is an increase in criminals using selling sites to steal from unsuspecting users by contacting them for an address to make a purported purchase then coming to the address within days where the items for sale were stolen.

GMP Bolton said some of the items for sale to be stolen included motorbikes. 

ALSO READ: Bolton in top three for anti-social behaviour on bikes.

In a post officers said: "There have been recent reports of individuals advertising items for sale online, being contacted for a collection address, and having the items stolen by means of burglary. Recent incidents have involved motorbikes for sale. 

"If you are selling items online, wherever possible we advise that you do not provide your address and consider meeting at a mutually agreed location to facilitate the sale. Please be vigilant of online scammers and keep yourself and your property safe."

The warning comes two weeks after another warning from Trading Standards about scammers using treacherous tactics in Bolton.

This was after one resident told the council they were targeted by scammers saying they were selling cleaning products in Egerton.

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Trading Standards said it is common for them to carry cleaning products and to claim they are ex-servicemen or ex-prisoners who are trying to turn their lives around. However, neither the Armed Forces nor the Probation Service are a part of such a scheme for ex-servicemen or ex-prisoners respectively according to the council.

In reality, the addresses of those considered credulous enough to make a purchase are passed on to criminals with the intention of them being burgled at a later date.

This is in addition to other criminals like rogue traders who take a large amount of money, sometimes thousands of pounds, for poor-quality work or no work at all.

These rogue traders tell their targets they will take a look at an issue for free before becoming aggressive in an attempt to secure the sale.

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or the LiveChat on gmp.police.uk.

They can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.