He was arrested after he returned to the UK
A burglar who fled overseas after taking part in a violent break-in has been sentenced to prison. Zouhair Etteay, 33, of Wiltshire Close, Chatham, was part of a group of men who carried out the aggravated burglary in 2023.
Etteay fled to Morocco immediately after the incident to evade capture. He was arrested after he returned to the UK in September 2025.
Five other men have already been convicted and received sentences, with the latest sentencing concluding the two-year investigation. In the early hours of September 8, 2023, several men went to a house near Luton Road armed with bladed weapons, wearing gloves and with their faces obscured by masks or balaclavas.
Having gained entry to the premises, they woke the occupants, assaulted one of them and demanded to know the location of their valuables. Following a search, the criminals stole two watches and two mobile phones before fleeing the scene.
The police were alerted, and an attending patrol saw some men running from the area. A subsequent investigation, including a forensic examination, identified those who had taken part in the crime including some who had travelled from London and others who lived locally.
Multiple arrests and charges followed with some of the offenders pleading guilty and others opting for a trial after which they were convicted. The men involved received the following sentences:
- Ion Vasile, 23, from Boxley Road, Maidstone, was jailed for eight years and five months
- Robert Maytum, 38, from Great South Avenue, Chatham, was jailed for seven years and two months
- Denis Calin, 22, from Albany Road, Chatham, was jailed for seven years
- Rogel Dumitru, 21, from Mayplace Road East, Bexleyheath, received seven and a half years’ imprisonment
- Gheorghe-Hagi Constantin, 25, from Luton Road, Chatham, was jailed for 11 years
Detectives knew the identity of the last of the burglars, Etteay, however subsequent searches turned up no trace of him in the country. Investigators learnt he had fled to Morocco soon after the offence.
Upon his return to the country in September 2025, he was arrested in Gillingham and later pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated burglary. He was handed a prison sentence of eight years and four months at Maidstone Crown Court on January 5.
Detective Constable Dan Bister said: “Etteay is now facing the consequences of his role in this appalling crime. This was a calculated and violent act that terrorised a family in their own home, and those responsible should feel deep shame for what they did.
“He tried to evade justice and may have believed he had escaped accountability, but that misjudgement has caught up with him. We are pleased to have brought him to justice, and we hope this outcome offers some sense of closure to the victims.”
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