The incident happened at the 48-year-old singer's house in Blackburn, West Lothian, on January 26.

She disturbed an intruder when she returned home from London where she had been recording the Helping Haiti charity single.

At the time she said the incident was "nothing to worry about".

Lothian and Borders Police said: "A 16-year-old youth has been arrested and charged in connection with a theft that happened on January 26.

"He will now be subject to a report to the Children's Reporter."

Boyle, a church worker, became an international star when her performance of a song from Les Miserables wowed the audience and judges on TV show Britain's Got Talent last year.

Her album, I Dreamed A Dream, went straight to number one in the charts and achieved the best first week's sale for a debut.

Despite her fame, she has not moved from the council house she has lived in since she was a child.