Burglar Busted Across Seven Counties – Caught Trying to Flee to Canada
A career criminal on the run has finally been locked up. Leonardo Velasquez-Valencia, 37, got three years and nine months for smashing and grabbing in ten burglaries across seven counties – from Kent and Essex to London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Wiltshire.
Heathrow Stopover Sparks Arrest
Velasquez-Valencia attempted a daring escape to Canada, carrying a suspicious $6,700 in Canadian and US cash. But the Canadian authorities refused him entry. He was promptly detained back at Heathrow Airport and hauled before Maidstone Crown Court.
Crime Spree Busted by Forensic Evidence
The crook pleaded guilty in August after evidence from a break-in in Sevenoaks linked him to multiple raids. On February 8, he broke into a home stealing jewellery, cash, laptops, and handbags. Forensics nailed him, and a deeper probe tied him to a spree between February 1 and March 29.
Victims’ Lives Wrecked, Police Deliver Justice
“Velasquez-Valencia committed a crime spree, for his own financial gain, giving little thought to the impact on his victims,” said Detective Constable Joshua Littley, who led the investigation. “He callously stole heirlooms and sentimental jewellery, leaving victims feeling unsafe and grieving the loss of deeply personal items.”
Authorities hope his hefty sentence brings some relief to the victims and sends a killer warning to would-be burglars nationwide.
