A £2.5 million home left empty because its owner was on holiday at his Spanish villa was too tempting for the three burglars to ignore.
But, even though he was 1,600 miles away, John Ellison was not a man with whom it was wise to take liberties.
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As soon as the computer and security firm owner received an alert on his mobile telling him that his burglar alarm in Lancaster had been set off, he plugged in a laptop in his villa in Marbella and watched the raid live on CCTV.
A quick call to police and his viewing took a major turn for the better as he saw officers arrive and cart the men off in handcuffs.
Mr Ellison, 52, concluded his evening's entertainment by cracking open a bottle of champagne and toasting the police.
Yesterday, after Mark Johnson, 46, and Ian McClements, 20, were jailed for ransacking the businessman's home, Mr Ellison said: "It was wonderful to see them being marched out and their masks being pulled off.
"The alarm system rang my mobile and when I logged on I saw three men hurrying through the house doing damage.
"Then I saw the police go upstairs and saw them come down with two men in handcuffs. I was hoping they would get three years, but I'm glad they are both off the streets. I'm delighted, it's made my day."
Referring to insults hurled at him by the men from the dock, he added: "All the insults are despicable and really betray their position in life. They are slime. I'll be celebrating tonight – with another bottle of champagne."
Mr Ellison had installed a £20,000 security system with 16 CCTV cameras at his property.
When he logged on to the internet, he saw the three masked raiders, Johnson, McClements, and a third man, who has not been caught, smashing in his patio doors and moving from room to room, ransacking the house.
Police arrived and found the pair hiding in a bathroom.
They were unable to steal any property but caused £12,000 damage. Mr Ellison will not get compensation for the damage to his house because both defendants are unemployed.
Yesterday, Johnson, a serial burglar with a long criminal record, and his accomplice shouted insults and threats as they were led away to the cells after being sentenced by Lancaster magistrates.
Johnson, who was late for court after going to a local pub, shouted, "I'll be out in six. I'll see you then," as he was jailed for six months after admitting burglary on Sept 7.
The father of four, from Lancaster, was also jailed for another six months, to run consecutively, for an unrelated assault on a woman earlier in the year.
McClements, of Morecambe, Lancs, was ordered to be detained in young offenders' institution for four months.