Thief caught on camera stealing taps from Melbourne gardens

Police are hunting a thief who has been stealing garden taps and turning off water mains at houses across Melbourne's north.

The man targeted 29 homes in Epping and Lalor between midnight and 5:30am on December 9.

Investigators released security footage that shows the man venturing into people's gardens, turning off the water mains before unscrewing taps from the pipe.

In a statement police said they were "hoping to tap into public information to track down the water-saving thief".

The man is described as thin and around 175 centimetres tall.

He was last spotted wearing a bucket hat, a long-sleeved t-shirt, jeans, runners, black gloves and a black backpack.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.