A duo who distracted a resident before snatching a phone are sought by police.

The phone had been advertised on an online auctioning website, Gumtree.

After agreeing to buy the phone, two men, described as Asian, went to the seller's home in Cannock Way, Earley.

They knocked the door and asked the householder if they could see the phone.

As the householder produced the mobile, the men grabbed it and fled the scene.

Thames Valley Police also received reports of a similar incident in Twyford the day before, after a resident had advertised a Macbook laptop, also on Gumtree.

Two men came to the doorstep in Broad Hinton and asked the householder to show them the receipt for the Apple computer.

While the resident searched through their belongings for the receipt the men grabbed the laptop and fled the scene on Septmeber 17.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "A householder had advertised a phone for sale on Gumtree, 2 Asian men came to the house to look at the phone and then grabbed it and ran off. This is very similar to another incident on 17th September whereby a householder in Broad Hinton, Twyford advertised a Macbook on Gumtree and again 2 men came to the door and asked to see the receipt and when distracted they stole the Macbook and ran off."