A HI-TECH homeowner who installed a camera in his house to keep tabs on his puppy was horrified when he checked it via his mobile phone – and saw a burglar.

James Allsopp installed the wireless camera seven years ago but has since set up more to keep his home secure.

The IT specialist was able to link the cameras to his mobile phone and keep watch on his house while he was out. He also rigged up his alarm to his phone so it rang once the burglar system was triggered.

On November 21 last year he received a phone call and watched in disgust as CCTV footage showed his house, in Ilkeston, being burgled.

The images of the teenage burglar, Ashley Burton, helped police track down the offender, who has now been locked up for 12 months in a young offenders' institution.

Mr Allsopp said it was "horrifying" to see his home being broken into.

He had been at his dad's house in Belper when his phone rang, alerting him his home alarm had been set off and, after viewing the CCTV, he contacted the police.

When he showed them the images an officer recognised Burton, who was stopped and searched shortly afterwards.

Fingerprints found at Mr Allsopp's home showed a match for Burton, whose details were on the police database because he had previous convictions.

Mr Allsopp said: "We had to drive home from Belper and the whole journey we were just thinking about what they would have stolen.

"We thought they would have taken a lot of valuable things but nothing had gone. When you watch the video you can see that when the alarm went off they just panicked and scarpered."

Mr Allsopp's home was also burgled in May last year and once again the offenders left empty-handed after the alarm sounded.

Their pictures were also captured on CCTV, which revealed their identities.

But on that occasion, more than £1,000 of damage was caused after the burglars smashed the patio window.

Mr Allsopp said: "I would recommend that people have an alarm in their homes as this is what scared the burglars away before they took anything."

Mr Allsopp first rigged up the CCTV system to his phone about seven years ago when he and his wife bought Molly, a Boxer, and they wanted to check up on her through the day, with a camera set up in the kitchen.

He then decided to put other cameras in the property for security reasons. The camera set-up cost Mr Allsopp less than £500.

Appearing at Derby Crown Court, Burton, 19, of no fixed address, admitted burglary with intent to steal and asked for two other burglaries and three thefts from motor vehicles to be taken into account.

Sentencing him, Judge Ebrahim Mooncey said: "Mr Allsopp had been burgled before and set up a sophisticated security system. It's a real shame householders have to resort to such measures."

Stuart Lody, in mitigation, said: "He's stealing to get money for alcohol and cannabis.

"His family don't want anything to do with him and he finds himself at the age of 19 bereft of family and friends."

Mr Lody said Burton had contacted the police from custody to confess his five other offences so he could "wipe the slate clean" and "give closure to his victims".