A man has been jailed after detectives used travel-card records alongside CCTV and other evidence to trace his movements in an investigation into London burglaries targeting South Asian families, police said.
Clirim Ferizi, from Harrow, was sentenced to two years in prison at Isleworth Crown Court on 3 November 2026, the Metropolitan Police said. His co-defendant, Oresti Saliaj, from Brent, had already been sentenced to three years and six months at the same court on 22 April 2026.
Police said the men selected homes belonging to South Asian families because they believed they would find valuable jewellery. The force described stolen property including a watch worth £7,000, gold earrings valued at £1,500 and an antique gold and diamond ring valued at £1,200.
The investigation began after a burglary in Ruislip in February. Police said detectives examined CCTV, forensic evidence and mobile phone and Oyster card data as they connected the men to other incidents.
Journeys traced after break-ins
On 27 February, Ferizi and Saliaj broke into a home in Ruislip and took valuables, police said. CCTV showed the men arriving at Ruislip station and taking a bus towards the property. They were later filmed leaving the home with a bag.
The force said footage then showed them taking a bus back towards Ruislip Underground station. There, Ferizi topped up his Oyster card before passing through the station gates. Investigators later examined his debit card records and found that he had used the card to pay for the top-up.
Police said both men forced their way into a home in Harrow the following day, although nothing was stolen. CCTV captured them searching rooms before leaving. Officers attended the property, collected DNA evidence and reviewed further footage.
The men had covered their faces inside the Harrow home, making identification from the footage difficult. Police said they therefore used other evidence, including travel records, to help establish the pair’s movements. Footage showed the men arriving at Pinner Underground station and taking a bus towards the property, then using transport to leave the area.
Detectives also investigated a break-in at a home in Barnet on 30 January. Police said Saliaj and an unidentified man stole a watch and other jewellery and handbags. Police did not identify the second man or say he was Ferizi.
Evidence brought together
Officers arrested Ferizi and Saliaj on 23 March on suspicion of burglary and found their Oyster cards during a subsequent search. The force said the cards provided a time-stamped record of journeys that supported the CCTV evidence.
Detective Sergeant Ross Smith, who led the investigation, said the targeting of families in their homes had caused victims emotional distress and fear. He said the travel-card data was one part of the evidence used to build the case.
The two prison terms were imposed months apart. Police did not specify the individual counts or pleas.
Protecting valuable items
In separate general advice, the Metropolitan Police suggests that people photograph valuable items and keep receipts to help establish ownership if property is stolen. For jewellery, it recommends taking photographs next to a ruler to show the size of an item.
The force also says people with valuable items can consider a home safe or a safety deposit vault. It advises anyone considering a home safe to check insurance cover and secure the safe to a wall or floor. These are precautions, not a guarantee against burglary, and responsibility for the offences rests with the offenders.
Featured image: AI-generated illustration.
