Luton burglar jailed after terrified homeowner wakes to find him at the foot of his bed
A Luton man who left a homeowner terror-struck when he burgled his house has been jailed.
Police were called to an address near Bedford town centre following a report of a burglary in the early hours of June 28 last year.
The elderly resident had gone to bed earlier in the evening and was woken by footsteps on the stairs – it was then he realised there was someone at the foot of the bed.
The petrified victim screamed and the burglar, 30-year-old Kamran Uddin, fled empty-handed.
But as he did, his image was captured on a nearby CCTV camera and Uddin handed himself in when police published the photo asking for the public’s help.
During the investigation, officers were able to link Uddin to a second burglary a few days before, where he had broken into a flat in Bedford but left empty-handed once again.
On Thursday (December 11), at Luton Crown Court, Uddin, of Wardown Crescent, Luton, was ordered to serve concurrent sentences of two years and six months for each count of burglary, as well as a consecutive sentence of 18 months for breach of a restraining order in an unrelated case. A total custodial sentence of four years.
Detective Constable Andy Boston, of Bedfordshire Police’s specialist residential burglary unit, Operation Maze, said: “I am really pleased that Uddin will be behind bars for a lengthy period. This was a horrifying experience for the victim and has left them deeply shaken and upset.
“Operation Maze is dedicated to tackling and investigating residential burglaries, ensuring a police officer attends every report.
“This particular case shows the value of CCTV and why we make public appeals for information. Even though the material we had was not the clearest, when we made it public it was enough to force Uddin to hand himself in.”