A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison after admitting to a spree of ten burglaries across seven counties, including Kent, Essex, London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Wiltshire. Leonardo Velasquez-Valencia, who attempted to flee to Canada to evade capture, was detained at Heathrow Airport after being denied entry by Canadian authorities.
Detective Constable Joshua Littley, who led the investigation, said, “Velasquez-Valencia committed a crime spree, for his own financial gain, giving little thought to the impact on his victims. He callously stole heirlooms, and sentimental jewellery pieces, and caused substantial damage to several properties, leaving victims feeling unsafe and grieving the loss of items that held considerable meaning for them.”
Velasquez-Valencia’s sentence, authorities hope, will provide some solace to his victims and serve as a strong deterrent against similar criminal behaviour.
