Man charged as police hunt Wimbledon prowler

POLICE hunting the ‘Wimbledon prowler’ have charged a man with a spate of burglaries in the affluent south-west London neighbourhood.

Asdrit Kapaj, 41, has been charged with burgling six homes in the area between 01 and 018 and one count of going equipped for burglary. At least 00 burglaries are said to have been committed in Wimbledon village, home to the All England Lawn Tennis Club and numerous multi-million-pound homes, over the last six years. Victims included City workers, celebrities and sports stars.

The goods stolen in the raids are estimated to be worth as much as £10million.

Kapaj, of Altrincham, near Manchester, is believed to be a refugee from Kosovo, married with two children and the owner of a fish and chip shop, an unnamed local source said.

He was arrested on suspicion of a different crime on Friday before he was connected to the burglaries, another source said.

Police said their ‘enquires remain ongoing’ into a number of local burglaries.