Hilarious moment homeowner yells 'hello' at a burglar through a smart doorbell as he tried to break into his home

This is the hilarious moment a man yells 'hello!' at a burglar through a smart doorbell system, starling him as he tries to break into his home.

Steven Hewes, 60, had already ransacked the house in Kimberley, Notts, but triggered a doorbell motion camera when he returned to the property.

As he put on a pair of gloves in preparation for entering the property, Hewes leapt in horror when the homeowner, who was watching on his mobile phone from work, suddenly shouted out.

Hewes could be seen staring up in immediate panic before making a bumbled apology and quickly fleeing from the scene, not before forgetting his equipment and hastily retreating to scoop up a bag from the doorstep.

Hewes could be heard giving some form of murmured response amid his panic, apologising for 'forgetting his stuff.' 

The crystal-clear camera footage allowed police to track Hewes down following the February 26 burglary.

Hewes, of no fixed address, was jailed for four-and-half years at Nottingham Crown Court on April 8.

Despite the break-in, Nottinghamshire Police reveal figures show burglaries have fallen by a third across the force area.

Between April 1 last year and March 31 this year, 142 fewer homes were burgled compared to the previous year - accounting for a 33.1 per cent drop.

Inspector Simon Riley, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for the Broxtowe Borough, said: 'Tackling and reducing house burglaries has been one of the key crimes we've been concentrating on across the borough over the last 12 months after local residents told us this was one of the most important issues to them.

'We have had some notable successes with regards to targeting burglary offenders who wreak so much misery on their victims.

'One such menace to the community, Steven Hewes was recently sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for a house burglary in the Kimberley area, following an investigation by County South CID officers.

'This represents a good sentence and means Hewes is unable to re-offend for a long time.'