An elderly couple in Beckenham have spoken of their trauma and fear after their home was violated by a burglar, who smashed his way into their flat and attempted to steal their safe. The perpetrator, Brian Farias, 27, has now been jailed for 17 months after being found guilty of two burglaries that left victims shaken and fearful in their own homes.
The couple, both in their 80s, returned to their flat on The Avenue, Beckenham, on November 26 last year, to discover their balcony door smashed, their wardrobe ransacked, and their safe dragged to the balcony in a failed attempt to remove it.
“To arrive home to find it burgled was most traumatic,” the man said. “Following the violation of our home, we feel vulnerable and now worry about what we may find when we return home.”
Second Break-In Four Days Later
Just four days later, on November 30, another man living nearby on Beckenham Grove, near Shortlands station, encountered a terrifying intruder. After hearing a window smash, he came face to face with a man wearing a balaclava, who fled with his wife’s jewellery, including a ring and a watch worth £3,500.
The victim armed himself with a cricket bat in fear, but the suspect escaped before police arrived.
Forensic Evidence Links Suspect
In both cases, DNA evidence at the scenes led police to Brian Farias, whose DNA was found on the bedsheet and at the second crime scene. Remarkably, Farias had been released on police bail for an unrelated matter just two days before the first burglary.
‘Stealing to Survive’
At Kingston Crown Court, Farias, a Chilean national, admitted to the burglaries. His defence solicitor, Rushnay Sikander, told the court he came to the UK on a six-month visa, but after losing his passport, he was unable to secure legal employment.
“He came to the UK to find employment and send money back to his family,” said Ms Sikander. “He accepts it was the wrong way to go about it but he was desperate. He had lost himself during this time.”
Judge Condemns Violation of Victims’ Homes
Judge Simon Heptonstall expressed sympathy for the victims and condemned the burglar’s actions.
“They worked and saved for 50 years, never taking help from the state. Now they feel vulnerable because you violated their home,” he told Farias.
“This persistent violation of people’s homes can only be punished by immediate custody.”
Farias was sentenced to 17 months in prison.
