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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Bradley Jolly

'Wimbledon prowler' admits stealing jewellery worth more than £500,000

A fish and chip shop owner faces years in jail after admitting stealing jewellery worth more than £500,000.

Asdrit Kapaj, 42, was dubbed the "Wimbledon prowler" after terrorising the affluent southwest London suburb.

The married dad-to-two broke into multi-million pound homes between 2008 and 2018, a ten-year spree in which he was behind 21 burglaries and two attempted burglaries, totalling around £542,000.

Kingston Crown Court today heard jewellery to the value of £371,855 was taken in one single burglary, in February 2017.

Kapaj carried out most of his raids at night, between 7pm and 5am.

Now he is preparing for a lengthy jail term, and will be sentenced on June 21.

The court heard the dad came to the UK after unrest in his native Kosovo, former Yugoslavia, and opened a fish and chip shop in Altringham, Greater Manchester.

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Alexandra Boshell, prosecuting, said: "As far as I know he resides in Manchester.

"He has been coming down to London.

"His car has been seen travelling coming into the London area."

The burglar cut security and CCTV cables during the raids, using ladders to access first floor properties, the court heard.

Hugh Mullan, defending, said: "He has been here since he was 16.

"He has indefinite leave to remain. He is Serbian Kosovan.

"He has lived here since the 1990s. He is married with two children.

"He is from the Cheshire area a lot of the evidence shows his car coming down when the burglaries takes place."

Kapaj, of Altringham, Greater Manchester, admitted 21 counts of burglary, two attempted burglaries, and one count of going equipped for theft.

He will be sentenced at the same court in June.

 
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