Burglar sentenced after capture on Canadian border
Leonardo Velasquez-Valencia's crime spree was linked to multiple counties, including Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire
A burglar has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison following a series of break-ins across several counties, including Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, culminating in a burglary at a Sevenoaks home.
Leonardo Velasquez-Valencia, 37, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, 21 August, to multiple burglary charges affecting seven counties, including Kent, Essex, London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Wiltshire. His sentencing took place at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday, 31 October 2024.
The investigation began with a report of a burglary near St John’s Hill in Sevenoaks on Thursday, 8 February 2024, shortly before 7.30pm. The suspect fled the scene on foot, taking various items such as jewellery, cash, a laptop, and a handbag.
Through forensic examinations, Velasquez-Valencia was identified as the suspect, and further inquiries established his involvement in burglaries across Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire during the months leading up to his arrest. This collaborative work with other police forces highlighted the extent of his criminal activities.
On Tuesday, 25 May, Velasquez-Valencia attempted to escape to Canada but was denied entry due to carrying a large sum of cash—6,700 Canadian and US dollars—without a valid reason. He was subsequently arrested upon his return to the UK in connection with the Sevenoaks burglary and other related crimes.
Detective Constable Joshua Littley, the investigating officer from kent Police, remarked, “Velasquez-Valencia committed a crime spree for his own financial gain, giving little thought to the impact on his victims. His actions not only left victims feeling unsafe in their own homes but grieving the loss of items that held considerable meaning for them. I hope the offender’s lengthy custodial sentence offers some comfort to those he wronged and serves as a reminder that crime does not pay.”