A California man has been arrested for alleged possession of child pornography after burglars who stole CDs from his property discovered what was on them and tipped police, KTXL TV reports.

The burglars, a 19-year-old and a juvenile, thought they had snatched blank audio CDs from a barn belonging to 54-year-old Kraig Stockard in Delhi, Calif., on Sept. 12.

After discovering that the discs contained child porn, a family member persuaded the pair to get in touch with police, Merced County Sheriff's Deputy Tom McKenzie tells the Sacramento TV station.

Investigators then searched Stockard's property, confiscated several computers and arrested him.

The Merced Sun-Star quotes law enforcement authorities as saying that Stockhard allegedly admitted that the CDS belong to him. The newspaper, quoting a statement from the sheriff's office, said Stockard had allegedly been downloading child ponography since 2004.

McKenzie indicates that the burglars may get off the hook.

"We did not actually go out and arrest the suspects for the burglary," he tells Fox40. "They were obviously the lesser of two evils."