A violent burglar who has been terrorising wealthy homes and their owners for almost 20 years has been linked to four more raids by police.
The Night Watcher, as he has been dubbed in tabloid media, remains on the run having attacked women inside their properties and used a sawn off shotgun as well as cable ties in his raids which are thought to have netted him as much as £10 million.
The Metropolitan Police has now linked the man, thought to be a former soldier, to the robbery of two women in Keston Park estate in Bromley in 2021, the Mirror has reported, for which the pair needed hospital treatment.
Kent Police has also now linked him to three raids on affluent parts of Tonbridge in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The Night Watcher is said to complete night-time reconnaissance operations, studying his victims’ routines and security arrangements before striking.
His first dated offence was in Leatherhead in 2006 and he is thought to have struck around 16 times since then - although it was only in 2017 that police linked the crimes.
Initially he seemed to target properties in Surrey with the Duke and Duchess of Richmond being among his victims when they were attacked in their Westhampnett house in 2016 and forced to hand over heirlooms worth £700,000. In this attack he hit Lord March over the head with a blunt weapon before tying him up alongside his wife Lady March.
He has also targeted properties owned by former French footballer Nicolas Anelka and the former tennis player Boris Becker. During another break-in, he kicked a pregnant woman in the stomach and left one other victim thinking she would be raped and murdered. His attacks have also led victims to suffer the loss of a tooth and a broken jaw.
The Night Watcher’s painstaking attention to detail and use of cable ties have led authorities to think he is a former soldier but few other clues have been given.
Kent Police said: “[We are investigating] a series of five burglaries between November 2016 and January 2022 where isolated properties have been targeted.
“It is reported that on each occasion a lone offender threatened victims in order to steal cash and high value possessions including jewellery and watches.
“Victims have been threatened with a firearm and restrained with cable ties and ropes.
“Inquiries have included extensive review of any CCTV, as well as a full forensic review of each burglary. Officers are also continuing to work closely with other police forces, where similar burglaries have taken place.”
The Metropolitan Police and Kent Police have been contacted for further comment.
Offending timeline
January 2006 - Leatherhead, Surrey
January 2009 - Weybridge, Surrey
September 2011 - Weybridge
May 2013 - Virginia Water, Surrey
November 2014 - Tadworth, Surrey
January 2015 - Maidenhead, Berks
June 2015 - Virginia Water
January 2016 - Goodwood, W Sussex
November 2016 - Sevenoaks, Kent
January 2017 - Maidstone, Kent
April 2017 - Virginia Water
October 2017 - Tadworth
February 2019 - Reigate, Surrey
August 2020 - Tonbridge, Kent
September 2021 - Tonbridge
October 2021 - Bromley, London
January 2022 - Tonbridge
