The burglar, Paulo Brito, was known to police

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Paulo Brito died after breaking into the Algarve home, which is owned by Britons Trevor and Jill Taylor, early on Sunday morning.

The pair caught him in their house stuffing valuables into bags and his pockets, including the keys to their Jaguar, at about 4am.

The intruder is then thought to have suffered a heart attack, allegedly after being restrained by 60-year-old Mr Taylor and his son Scott.

He died as police called to the scene by Mrs Taylor tried to put handcuffs on him.