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| 'Ex-soldier' raiding Home Counties houses at gunpoint | 'Ex-soldier' raiding Home Counties houses at gunpoint |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A highly professional soldier with a "commanding nature" is believed to have carried out seven violent £1m raids with military-style planning. | |
| The man stakes out expensive Home Counties properties and knows their exact layout and location of safes by the time he raids the homes, wielding a sawn-off shotgun, Surrey Police said | The man stakes out expensive Home Counties properties and knows their exact layout and location of safes by the time he raids the homes, wielding a sawn-off shotgun, Surrey Police said |
| He has taken jewellery, watches and "irreplaceable heirlooms". | He has taken jewellery, watches and "irreplaceable heirlooms". |
| Victim Susan Morris, 61, said: "He knew exactly how hard to hit me." | Victim Susan Morris, 61, said: "He knew exactly how hard to hit me." |
| An appeal has now gone out from four police forces after raids across Berkshire, Kent, Surrey and Sussex between November 2014 and October 2017. | An appeal has now gone out from four police forces after raids across Berkshire, Kent, Surrey and Sussex between November 2014 and October 2017. |
| Mrs Morris said the raider kept asking her for more jewellery during the raid in October at her home in Kingswood, Surrey. | Mrs Morris said the raider kept asking her for more jewellery during the raid in October at her home in Kingswood, Surrey. |
| "He hit me three times on my face, it was very painful, I couldn't believe the blows kept coming," she said. | "He hit me three times on my face, it was very painful, I couldn't believe the blows kept coming," she said. |
| Mrs Morris said at one point she could not get a ring and bracelet off, and added: "I actually thought 'he's going to cut my finger off'." | Mrs Morris said at one point she could not get a ring and bracelet off, and added: "I actually thought 'he's going to cut my finger off'." |
| When her husband came home from work, he found her still tied up with cables and hiding in a bedroom. | When her husband came home from work, he found her still tied up with cables and hiding in a bedroom. |
| Describing the thief, she said: "I would say he spoke well, he had no accent, he didn't have bad grammar, he's an intelligent man, he knows how to assess the situation and carry this out." | Describing the thief, she said: "I would say he spoke well, he had no accent, he didn't have bad grammar, he's an intelligent man, he knows how to assess the situation and carry this out." |
| Police believe the burglar could be ex-military because of his levels of preparation, and his "well-spoken, intelligent" language and manner, but they have said he could be a current member of the armed forces or law enforcement. | Police believe the burglar could be ex-military because of his levels of preparation, and his "well-spoken, intelligent" language and manner, but they have said he could be a current member of the armed forces or law enforcement. |
| Det Insp Dee Fielding, from Surrey Police, said: "We do not believe this to be the work of an opportunist burglar, but someone who has specialist knowledge and skills, possibly ex forces or from a similar background." | Det Insp Dee Fielding, from Surrey Police, said: "We do not believe this to be the work of an opportunist burglar, but someone who has specialist knowledge and skills, possibly ex forces or from a similar background." |
| Officers said he operates alone, speaks little, threatens to kill people and their dogs and is "incredibly decisive". | Officers said he operates alone, speaks little, threatens to kill people and their dogs and is "incredibly decisive". |
| On each occasion, the man has used "unnecessary levels of violence", police said. | On each occasion, the man has used "unnecessary levels of violence", police said. |
| Det Insp Fielding said the raids have occurred about once every six months, possibly as the offender needed money. | Det Insp Fielding said the raids have occurred about once every six months, possibly as the offender needed money. |
| She said that whereas most people would need two hands to use a cable tie, this man is able to tie people up using one hand even while they are struggling. | She said that whereas most people would need two hands to use a cable tie, this man is able to tie people up using one hand even while they are struggling. |
| The man is thought to have got into houses before the raids to better understand the layout, and has been seen on CCTV staking out targets. | The man is thought to have got into houses before the raids to better understand the layout, and has been seen on CCTV staking out targets. |
| Police say they are looking for someone who may seem to have money disproportionate to their job, and might be travelling or away for long periods of time. | Police say they are looking for someone who may seem to have money disproportionate to their job, and might be travelling or away for long periods of time. |