Man Jailed for 10 Years After Pleading Guilty to 19 Burglaries Across Eight Counties

Gledis Uka, a 30-year-old Albanian national, was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to 19 burglary offences. Uka admitted breaking into homes across eight counties: Kent, Berkshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Essex, London, Suffolk and Surrey.

He followed a seasonal pattern, entering England between October and January each year before leaving until the following winter, and had no fixed address in the UK.

Kent Police arrested Uka in Essex on January 30. He faced 33 charges in total, with two additional offences taken into consideration and the rest left on file. The investigation began in December 2023 after two burglaries in Edenbridge, Kent, where an intruder smashed windows and doors to steal jewellery and left blood at both scenes.

Similar incidents continued in Edenbridge and Sevenoaks until November 2025, with matching forensic traces. Detective Constable Celia King, who led the inquiry, said the case required more than two years of work to link offences across locations and time periods through forensic evidence.

She added that Uka showed no remorse, left properties in disarray and stole sentimental items, and that one victim was present during a break-in.

GB News reported the sentencing details alongside statements from Kent Police.