'I WAS lucky but someone might not be next time.'

These are the words of Nathan Johnson who is urging residents to be vigilant after a bag containing a laptop and car diagnostic equipment worth thousands of pounds was stolen from his Burnham-on-Sea home.

Th 44-year-old claims he chased a person away from his home in Caernarvon Way on January 2 and just five days later on January 7 he realised his bag had been stolen from his home.

Nathan said the incident left him feeling 'unsafe' in his own home and as a result he installed CCTV cameras around his property in a bid to catch trespassers in the act.

Speaking after the incident, Nathan, said: "I saw my flood light was on in my garden so I took a closer look outside and was shocked too see a hooded person standing by my back door.

"I took chase and they had run down the side of my house and jumped over my gate. I stopped and reported it to the police.

"I have installed CCTV and feel safer knowing that if someone sets foot on my property my whole family will be alerted on their smartphones.

"I would say to local residents that at this time of year when it’s dark earlier shut all your curtains and blinds so people can’t see in, lock your doors even when your in as there are opportunists out there.

"I was lucky but someone might not be next time."

Luckily Nathan's bag was found by a walker and handed in to Burnham Police Station on January 10 and police said investigations into the incident are ongoing.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Householders are encouraged to be vigilant and take precautions to safeguard their possessions and property.

"We would encourage anyone who sees a crime being committed to contact us."

Nathan said he is meeting the woman who found his bag to give her a restaurant food voucher to say thank you and praised the police for their work.

He said: "The police have been brilliant and I feel that they have done everything that they can. I am extremely grateful that my bag has been returned."