Knife-Wielding Burglar Nabbed After Two-Year Run
Zouhair Etteay, 33, has finally been locked up after fleeing the UK following a terrifying 2023 home invasion. The Chatham man was part of a ruthless gang who stormed a house near Luton Road, brandishing knives and wearing balaclavas. They brutally assaulted a resident and made off with valuable watches and phones.
Violent Raid Sparks International Manhunt
In the early hours of 8 September 2023, Etteay and five accomplices broke into the property, demanding valuables and causing chaos. Police chased suspects fleeing the scene, but Etteay vanished—escaping to Morocco to dodge justice.
Gang Jailed While Fugitive Lived Large Abroad
- Ion Vasile, 23, Maidstone – 8 years 5 months
- Robert Maytum, 38, Chatham – 7 years 2 months
- Denis Calin, 22, Chatham – 7 years
- Rogel Dumitru, 21, Bexleyheath – 7 years 6 months
- Gheorghe-Hagi Constantin, 25, Chatham – 11 years
Return to UK Ends Fugitive’s Freedom
Etteay stayed on the run until September 2025, when he returned to the UK and was swiftly arrested in Gillingham. At Maidstone Crown Court, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years and four months behind bars on 5 January 2026. The conviction draws a close to a two-year police hunt into this brutal burglary.
