A serial burglar who used the rail network to target homes across Surrey and Sussex has been jailed for six years.

Darren Alleyne, 44, of no fixed abode, travelled by train to towns across the two counties, prowling streets for insecure or empty homes where he could force open front or back doors.

Once inside, he stole high-value items including electronics and jewellery, stuffing them into a large shopping bag before catching trains out of the area. He later sold the goods for cash.

Alleyne targeted areas including Woking, Horsham, Guildford, Reigate and Merstham, and regularly changed his mobile phone in an attempt to avoid detection.

For seven months, between July 2025 and March 2026, his plan appeared to work.

However, Surrey Police officers gathered CCTV and doorbell footage placing him at the scenes of several burglaries.

He was eventually arrested in Brighton after travelling there by train. Officers found him in possession of items stolen during burglaries in the city.

Alleyne was charged on Wednesday, March 25, with 10 burglaries and two counts of fraud by false representation.

He was remanded in custody and later pleaded guilty to all charges.

On Friday, May 15, he was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court to six years in prison.

PC Luke Lightburn, of the Proactive Investigation Team, said: “Alleyne literally treated burglary as his job. He would commute regularly by train, find a place to break into, and brazenly travel home with a bag of stolen goods as if nothing had happened.

“Due to the manner of his offending, it took some time to track Alleyne down and pull together all the evidence we needed. I am pleased that, following months of determination and teamwork, we were able to hunt him down and get him behind bars.”