Luis Moreno, 37, sentenced to four years and four months in prison. Image: Surrey Police

A burglar who was arrested while trying to leave for Chile has been sentenced to over four years in prison.

Louis Moreno, who’s 37, used a ladder to break into a home on the St Georges Hill estate in Weybridge on 11th November 2016.

It’s believed that he was still in the house when the homeowners returned and heard movement upstairs.

They also found that the doors where opened and that their safe had been turned over.

When police arrived the burglar had left the scene with expensive jewellery and some cash.

Thanks to a smear of blood left on the safe forensic analysis could tie Moreno to the burglary.

He admitted the crime after being arrested by Met Police officers while tying to catch a plane to Chile from Heathrow almost a year later.

Moreno received four years and four months imprisonment at Kingston Crown Court on 4th January after pleading guilty in December.

Detective Constable Phil Haffenden, who led the investigation, said the victims were devastated after losing family heirlooms that can never be replaced.

He urged homeowners to think about home security:

Please store any ladders in a locked shed or outhouse and make sure your home is fully secure when you go out.

According to Surrey Police most burglars do not possess housebreaking skills, so even basic security measures are likely to protect your home from break-ins.