A CLEVEDON shop owner was left startled after returning to his car to find a thief asleep on the back seat.

Richard Searle went back to his car after a day’s work at his jewellery shop in The Triangle to discover it had been broken into and the culprit asleep in the back.

The 55-year-old, who owns R N Searle Jewellers, said: “I parked in Highdale Avenue and went back to the car at about 6.20pm, when it was dark.

“I got in and sat on a pile of CDs. Then I realised the glove compartment was open and thought ‘oh god I’ve been broken into’.

“I then heard a rustling in the back and turned round to see this guy asleep on the back seat.

“He woke up, saw me, swore and then managed to get out and run away.

“It was absolutely incredible.

“It scared the living daylights out of me at the time.

“If it had been my daughter or wife getting in the car that would’ve been very worrying.”

The thief had smashed the back window of Richard’s Vauxhall Corsa to get into it.

The incident was one of eight car break-ins to happen in the Highdale Avenue and Queens Road area between December 13-20.

The culprits have got into cars by smashing windows or bending doors back.

Police are urging people to be vigilant and not leave items on show in their cars.

Anyone with information about the crimes should call police on 101.