A BURGLAR convicted of stealing valuables worth more than £35,000 from North Yorkshire country houses has been arrested after nearly four years on the run.

Michael Edward Kenny, 50, was named one of the “most wanted” criminals in Britain when he skipped bail and missed his trial at York Crown Court in 2007.

He was sentenced to eight years in prison in his absence for six high-value burglaries involving the theft of antiques, paintings and jewellery worth thousands of pounds from six houses in the Malton, Great Broughton and York areas. Police finally tracked him down to Luton in Bedfordshire, where he was arrested by local police on Thursday.

He will now serve his sentence and faces additional court hearings in connection with his disappearance.

Det Insp Ian Dyer, of York CID, said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to bring Kenny to justice. His arrest should send a clear message that we will never stop searching for those people who believe they can evade justice. We will now await the outcome and results of further court hearings with interest.”

Kenny used his girlfriend’s York home as a base for targeting secluded and isolated properties including Foston Hall, near Whitwell-on-the-Hill, Settrington House, near Malton, and South Park, at Hutton Wandesley, near Rufforth.

He was said to have got away with valuable items worth £7,500 from Foston Hall and antiques worth £11,500 from Settrington House in 2004.

He also took a £3,000 painting from South Park which was later offered for sale at a London auction house.

A warrant was issued by the court in November 2007, when Kenny failed to turn up for his trial.

Police issued a further media appeal in March this year to help trace him.