“Raffles" hotel burglar jailed for three and a half years

A burglar who stole at least £150,000 worth of jewellery, cash and other valuables from hotel rooms in a six-year spree has been jailed for three and a half years. According to the BBC News website, Colombian national Juan Carlos Guzman-Betancourt modelled himself on the fictional thief Raffles – as well as a Leonardo de Caprio charater in the film Catch Me If You Can – as he stole from top-class hotels around the world. Guzman-Betancourt is reported to be an expert in languages and had more than 10 different identities – including that of an Arab billionaire. Having been caught after an off-duty police officer saw him at a London supermarket, Guzman-Betancourt admitted to burgling the Mandarin Oriental and Dorchester hotels in London, and asked for a further 14 offences to be considered. Judge Rodney reportedly told him: “Persons going into hotels are entitled to expect privacy and safety. There can be nothing worse than for visitors in this capital to go to hotels and be preyed on in this way. It is a real anxiety for visitors that this sort of thing might happen.” The BBC reports that authorities are now investigating Guzman-Betancourt’s activities in Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Russia, Canada, Thailand and Japan. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd www.newsfromabroad.com