A man has been jailed for four years after he admitted conspiring to burgle five Gravesham homes where thousands of pounds worth of jewellery was stolen.

Ion Vaduva, 30, was already behind bars having been sentenced on May 15 to two-and-a-half years in prison for burgling two homes in the area.

While investigating those crimes, Kent Police detectives suspected this was just the tip of the iceberg as the methods used were similar to those in a number of other offences.

In each, the offender had forced their way into the empty property and quickly and expertly searched the bedrooms, pulling the upstairs curtains closed before doing so.

Jewellery was the main target and thousands of pounds worth had been stolen in five further incidents, some of which had been recovered.

Officers built up a case against Vaduva and he was produced from prison and charged with conspiracy to burgle in connection with five incidents across Gravesham between December 12 last year and February 8.

On September 5 at Maidstone Crown Court, Vaduva, of St Peter’s Mews in Finsbury Park, north London, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in prison.

The sentence will run concurrently to the first term of imprisonment.

Detective Constable Robin Hemsley said: “While investigating this series of burglaries, it became obvious that Vaduva had specifically targeted jewellery, including Asian gold.

“Many pieces of Asian gold jewellery hold great cultural significance.

“The invasion of privacy and subsequent enormous loss of highly prized family heirlooms has had huge impacts on many of the victims, some of whom are still struggling to recover from what has happened.

“A lot of work went into compiling evidence against Vaduva and I am pleased he has been brought to justice for his crimes.”