By James HoreA PLUMBER has told how he chased after and caught a burglar who had broken into his house. Daniel Hamilton, 21, was at the home he shares with his parents at about 12.

By James Hore

A PLUMBER has told how he chased after and caught a burglar who had broken into his house.

Daniel Hamilton, 21, was at the home he shares with his parents at about 12.50am yesterday when he heard noises coming from downstairs.

His mother, Debbie, went to investigate, but came back upstairs when she saw two burglars and raised the alarm.

Not fazed by the intruders, Mr Hamilton, of Woodside Close, Colchester, ran downstairs only to find the men had escaped.

But a neighbour who heard the commotion pointed him in the right direction and, after running about 200 yards, he cornered one of the burglars and held onto him as he made a citizen's arrest.

Colchester police were on the scene within minutes and the man, who was found with the family's phone and a can of lager, was taken for questioning.

Mr Hamilton said he did not regret his actions, although he had now had time to think about what the consequences could have been.

“The one I found was trying to tell me that he had been beaten up. He was obliviously lying and I collared him and kept him there until my dad, John, arrived. I then went off looking for the other one, but could not find him,” he added.

“The police were pretty chuffed that I had stopped him. I think he was drunk and could have been high on drugs as he was acting in a strange way.”

Mr Hamilton said the burglars had got into the house in the Parsons Heath area of Colchester through a back window.

“Looking back, he could have had a knife or something, but I am glad that I did it as so many times you hear about when there has been a burglary and someone has got away,” he added.

Colchester police said yesterday a 19-year-old man was being questioned on suspicion of burglary.

james.hore@eadt.co.uk