Burglar who posed as workman to steal high-value items jailed
A prolific burglar who posed as a workman to steal money and luxury goods from flats has been jailed for more than three years.
Danny Burke was seen entering the victims’ homes by posing as a maintenance contractor carrying out routine work.
But the 35-year-old actually stolen large amounts of cash as well as designer watches, a luxury bag and a mobile phone worth thousands of pounds.
He struck at six flats on Hathersage Road in Manchester between October 7 and 12 2025, before burgling two flats on Hollis Croft in Sheffield on October 17.
Detectives saw Burke entering the building on CCTV, and also found a sign-in book and key logs with his name on.
He was arrested on October 20, and police found foreign currency in his vehicle. A search of his address found a large amount of cash, as well as a mobile phone and designer watch.
Burke admitted 32 counts of burglary at Sheffield Crown Court on January 23, and was sentenced to three years and eight months behind bars at the same court on Friday (May 1).
Holly Kalicki, the officer in charge of the case for South Yorkshire Police, said: "Burglary is not just about the loss of items but also about the sense of security that is lost in someone's home.
"Burke took advantage of his role as a trusted maintenance worker to steal from those who believed their belongings to be safe.
"Our detectives and CSI teams moved at pace to gather evidence, identify the offender, and build a strong case and I am glad to see him jailed for years for his crimes.”