Man who broke into more than 20,000 homes says there's an easy way to prevent burglary

An ex-professional thief who claims to have broken into 20,000 homes has revealed his top tips for 'burglar-proofing' - including hiding your valuables in a BEANBAG.

Darryl Kennedy, 58, started breaking and entering aged just nine - and has been banged up four times after being caught. He says he is now on the straight and narrow after nearly 50 years of crime - and wants to help homeowners protect against burglars.

And he has revealed that one of his top tips for thwarting burglars is stashing items where crooks would never think to look - including beanbags. Manchester-born Darryl said: "I'm a changed person now and I want to use what I know to eradicate burglary. People don't realise the best ways to protect their homes - it's more than just putting up CCTV cameras and locking doors."

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Darryl developed a reputation as a notorious cat burglar both in the UK and around the world and even headed up a professional burglary gang. He focused on the homes of the rich and famous, swiping diamonds and other precious jewellery before leaving without a trace.

After serving five years for a string of high-value robberies in Cheshire, he was released from prison in 2019 and says he is now a changed man. He said: "I had a long career breaking into homes all over the world - I'd complete up to 15 in a day. I would sell on the jewels and use the money to fund holidays and stays in fancy hotels.

"I never stole from working class people, I would go for the upper echelons who could afford to lose it. I didn't realise until years later that I would only see the monetary value in the things I stole.

"When I met my victims, I realised I stole