He Traveled to the UK During Winter, Instead of Working He Decided to Carry Out Terrible Crimes Across Southern England
An Albanian man who travelled to the UK during the winter months to carry out burglaries across southern England has been jailed for 10 years after police linked him to a long series of break-ins in eight different counties.
Gledis Uka, 30, was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court after admitting his role in a large number of burglaries that took place over several years. Prosecutors told the court that he followed a regular pattern, arriving in England between October and January each year before leaving again once the winter ended. Investigators said he appeared to return only to commit more burglaries before disappearing until the following year.
His crime spree stretched across Kent, Berkshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Essex, London, Suffolk and Surrey. Police said he targeted homes across these areas, forcing his way inside by smashing windows or doors before stealing valuable items, including jewellery and other belongings with sentimental value.
Uka had no fixed address in the UK and was eventually arrested by Kent Police officers in Essex on January 30 this year. He faced a total of 33 charges connected to burglaries across southern England. He pleaded guilty to 19 offences, while two more were taken into consideration during sentencing. The remaining charges were left on file.
The investigation first began in December 2023 after Kent Police received reports of two burglaries at homes in Edenbridge. In both cases, the burglar forced entry by breaking windows and doors before escaping with jewellery. A key breakthrough came when officers discovered blood left behind at both crime scenes, giving forensic experts valuable DNA evidence.
As the investigation continued over the next two years, police received many more reports of similar break-ins in Edenbridge and Sevenoaks. Detectives noticed the same method was being used in each case. Homes were entered through smashed windows or doors, valuables were stolen, and traces of blood were repeatedly found at the scenes.
The DNA evidence allowed investigators to connect what had first appeared to be separate burglaries. As officers looked further, they discovered that the same suspect had also been targeting homes in seven other counties during his annual winter visits to England.
Police said the case was particularly challenging because the crimes happened over a long period and across many different locations. Detectives had to work closely with other police forces and rely heavily on forensic evidence to prove that the same person was responsible for the offences.
Detective Constable Celia King, who led the investigation, praised the determination of officers who spent more than two years building the case. She said the investigation required patience because the burglaries happened months apart and across different parts of the country, making it difficult to officially link them together.
She explained that once officers identified Uka as the suspect, tracking him down became another challenge because he was only believed to be entering England during the winter months to carry out the crimes.
DC King said Uka showed no remorse for the people he targeted. She said he smashed his way into family homes, left properties badly damaged, and stole treasured possessions that could never truly be replaced. In one incident, a homeowner was inside the property when Uka broke in, making the experience especially frightening.
She also thanked the victims from across the country for their patience and support throughout the lengthy investigation and praised the assistance provided by other police forces, whose cooperation helped bring the serial burglar to justice.
