Gareth Miller woke up as the "youths" attempted to get into his Barnsley house – possibly to reach the Audi Q3 keys sat on the kitchen table.
The group had used a blowtorch to burn the front door locks – a new technique to force entry to homes.
The 43-year-old dad told the Examiner Live: "I laid awake for 10 or 15 minutes and then heard another little knock so I went downstairs in the dark and through the kitchen window I saw four youths – all smallish build – in the back garden.
"I could smell the burning plastic."
He told his wife to call the police before running out to the back garden to confront the gang.
Two jumped over the garden fence and he followed, managing to grab one and pulling him onto the floor.
Gareth said: "I held him on the floor with my hand and knee, pulled his mask off and then dragged him round the front of the house to wait for the police."
He said cops arrived within ten minutes and arrested the youngster, later charging the 17-year-old with attempted burglary, assault and threats to damage property.
He appeared at Barnsley Magistrates' Court today.
Gareth's wife, Chelsea, said: "I was terrified when he ran out of the front door. You don't know if they've got a knife. One of the neighbours said they saw one of them with a crowbar."
Cops have said this new technique is becoming increasingly common as thieves come up with more unusual ways to gain entry to homes.
Homeowners are now being urged to update their outdated locks and review their home security.
Last week we published the moment car thieves used the technique to steal a £30,000 Audi from a driveway.
Taira Abdul-Khaliq, 41, the owner of the Audi, said police had been unable to find any evidence at the scene due to the burnt out locks.
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