A 'professional' Albanian burglar caught at Luton Airport as he tried to flee the UK with his loot has been jailed for six years for a £110,000 crime spree at five homes in affluent areas of Essex, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

Arkand Pitarka, 34, had almost £5,009 in cash as well as a 'substantial amount of jewellery' with him when he was arrested at the Bedfordshire airport on December 12, 2023, Gloucester Crown Court heard on Friday (March 8).

Prosecutor Ian Fenny said it was quite clear that Pitarka had regularly been travelling in and out of the UK over a substantial period of time.

"There is no evidence that he had any community ties to this country or that he was engaged in lawful employment," said Mr Fenny.

Pitarka's DNA was found at the scenes of the five burglaries that he is known to have carried out in this country, the barrister added. He has criminal convictions in Germany, Sweden and Albania.

Pitarka would not tell Gloucestershire Police if he had committed any other burglaries in this country apart from the five that could be proved.

The victims of the first burglary in Essex received a security alert message on a mobile phone app in December 12, 2022, and went back home and discovered that a kitchen window had been compromised, but because a dog had been left inside, the attempted break in at this point was abandoned.

"However, the home owners realised that, undeterred, Pitarka had clambered onto a flat roof and gained entry through an upstairs window and made an untidy search of the property. Jewellery, cash, and designer clothing were stolen," Mr Fenny said.

"A review of the homeowners CCTV showed Pitarka, wearing a rucksack, in the garden examining the property in close detail. He was wearing facial coverings."

The home owner said in a statement that among property stolen was a substantial amount of irreplaceable jewellery that had been bequeathed to the woman resident on her wedding day.

The second burglary, in Chigwell, Essex, occurred on December 30, 2022, while the occupants were away on holiday. When the family returned on January 1, 2023, this year they discovered they had been burgled and called the police.

"The property was gated, and had an alarm mechanism installed along with CCTV," Mr Fenny said.

"A review of the security camera footage also showed Pitarka climbing onto a flat roof, giving access to a rear bedroom window, which had been forced with a small implement.

"After gaining entry he went to the bedroom but because it was locked he climbed back out onto the roof and forced another bedroom window open. He searched this room, tampered with the safe inside a cupboard and forced it open.

"Pitarka also made an untidy search of other bedrooms in the property. It is unclear why the house alarm did not activate when the burglar broke in.

"The items stolen include a quantity of cash, jewellery and designer items."

The victim in this burglary told the court that the jewellery that had been stolen had been inherited from her mother and grandmother and held a lot of sentimental value.

The court was told about the third burglary also in Essex on January 8, 2023. Pitarka activated the alarm mechanism when he tried to break in and he knocks one of the cameras off the wall.

Mr Fenny added: "Pitarka then used a barbeque to climb onto a flat roof, which is overlooked by first floor bedrooms. He gained access through one of the windows and once inside makes an untidy search and takes electrical items, jewellery and designer goods.

"It appears Pitarka left the country after this burglary, but returned in October. And within a month he commits a further two burglaries.

"On October 16, 2023, Pitarka entered a large detached bungalow in Cheltenham, which is set back from the road. At around 9.30pm, the home owner's daughter was attending her mother's address and realised that the house had been burgled.

"The intruder left muddy footprints all over the house, showing which route Pitarka used to gain entry and exit the property."

The court was told that a large number of items of jewellery were stolen, which had been earmarked for her grandchildren's inheritance.

The homeowner's daughter told the court that her mother never knew about the burglary, because she was in a care home and added: "The damage to the property and the burglary itself has impacted heavily on my brother and myself as well as the wider family and the neighbours.

"We chose not to tell our mother, due to her age and frailty. Only a few weeks earlier, she had been at home and had been caring independently for herself. Had she been at home at the time the outcome could have been very different, as the potential shock of a stranger walking into her bedroom could have been devastating.

"The burglary increased the stress on the family while our mother deteriorated in the care home. The stolen items of jewellery had been set aside as mementoes of her for her grandchildren. These items of cherished jewellery, along with our father's possessions, which are irreplaceable, have now been lost forever."

The court was then told about the final burglary in Malvern on November 3, 2023, and again Pitarka used a flat roof extension to gain entry through a first floor window, leaving his DNA on the glass. The items stolen included a significant amount of jewellery.

Mr Fenny explained that in total the amount of losses experience by the home owners was just short of £110,000. This would make him a 'professional burglar' he concluded and added that Pitarka had targeted housing in particularly affluent areas.

Sarah Jenkins, defending, said: "The reason behind Pitarka's offending is his dependency on cocaine and gambling. Escaping to other countries was his way of avoiding the consequences and difficulties of his addictions in Albania.

"He did initially come to the UK to visit a cousin and a close family friend. He had hoped to find casual employment, but he soon realised he didn't have the relevant paperwork entitling him to work in this country.

"This offending spree was Pitarka's attempt to try and resolve his debt problems that he faced at home."

Pitarka, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the three burglaries in Essex on December 12, 2022; December 30, 2023 and January 8, 2023. He also admitted the burglary in Cheltenham on October 16, 2023, and the final break-in at Malvern on November 3, 2023.

The judge, Recorder Don Tait told Pitarka "The first three burglaries were committed by you between December 2022 and January 2023 after which you fled this country, only to return later in the year to commit two further dwelling house burglaries.

"The total losses to the five home owners was around £110,000. From the victim person statements, it is quite clear that your offending not only caused substantial financial loss, but had an emotional impact on them.

"You clearly targeted the homes of elderly people. You did this because in your home country, Albania, you had a cocaine and gambling addiction.

"I am sentencing you to six years in prison because you are a professional burglar. I sincerely hope that you will be deported at the end of your custodial term."