Burglar drinks himself into handcuffs

An American burglar was arrested after getting drunk at a home he broke into.

John Finch got inside an empty property in Bellefonte, Delaware, but rather than steal the occupant's possessions he decided to work his way through their drinks cabinet.

The 44-year-old crook spent three days bingeing on three bottles of gin and two bottles of whisky.

When the owner made an unexpected visit home to check on things Finch hid inside a closet.

But once the booze was gone he tried to leave the house but was locked in, and in his drunken haze he phoned 911 to ask for help.

According to officer Michael Bingnear, who responded to the call, Finch was too intoxicated to climb back through the window he entered through and couldn't work out how to open the deadbolts on the front and back doors.

He is now awaiting sentencing.