A hooded burglar showed up on a video link as he prepared to break into a house - but still managed to ransack rooms.
Arron Priestley, 27, jumped out of a second floor bathroom window and left empty-handed, Nottingham Crown Court heard.
Patrolling police officers caught Priestley as he walked down a street near the house in Farnsfield. He has now been given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal goods on January 10. As part of the sentence, he must spend 15 days with probation officers.
Recorder Collingwood Thompson QC told him: "This is your second conviction for domestic burglary.
"If you commit a third, there will be a minimum sentence of at least three years in prison.
"This is last chance saloon, if I can put it that way.
"Burglary is a serious offence on two levels. It is an offence against property and also an offence against the person because it affects people who live in the property.
"Their privacy is invaded and they don't feel comfortable. In some cases, they don't feel safe in the property following a burglary," he told Priestley of Northgate, Newark.
Philip Plant, prosecuting, said a "live video link" showed a man standing at the front door of the house at 4.55am.
"The figure put his hood up and down, looked young with facial stubble and a shaved head," said Mr Plant.
He was seen looking through a glass panel in the door before ransacking rooms and leaving. Repairs will cost £5,000.
Mr Plant said the home owners were able to interrupt the raid but a tenant later told police officers: "This incident has unsettled me."
Digby Johnson, mitigating, said: "In an interview, he offered profuse apologies."
He said Priestley had been in the care of a community psychiatric nurse and received medication.
But this was stopped and he was placed with a family doctor.
On the day of the offence, he had some alcohol and "that didn't help." As a result of the offence, he moved out of Farnsfield, added Mr Johnson.
