A former burglar who has reportedly broken into 20,000 homes is now educating criminology and police students about his old tactics to help prevent future crimes.

       Darryl Kennedy, 61, began his life of crime at the tender age of nine and has been incarcerated four times. After 41 years of targeting the rich and famous, stealing diamonds and jewels without leaving a trace, he claims to have turned over a new leaf.

       The ex-criminal served five years behind bars for a series of 140 high-value burglaries in Cheshire before being released in 2019. He's now been recruited by several universities, including the University of Salford and the University of Cumbria, to lecture the next generation of police officers on how to catch cat burglars like him.

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       He imparts his golden rules from his past to students, such as avoiding open-plan houses, looking for low-quality window frames, and heading straight for the master bedroom where the jewellery would always be found. Darryl, from Salford, Manchester, admits he can't undo his criminal past but hopes he can help prevent future crimes.

       The father-of-four stated: "I decided I needed to change when I realised I wasted 41 years of my life committing crimes. Now I want to prevent other people being burgled.

       "So many of the 'security experts' out there miss lots of details - they don't seem to have a clue. But I do - and I'll tell the whole truth. I'll admit what I've done - I don't mind if people don't like me."

       Darryl's life of crime began with lessons in burglary from his father during car rides, which led him to become a notorious cat burglar and the leader of a skilled gang, hitting up to 15 houses daily. After three prison sentences, Darryl turned over a new leaf and has since been on the straight and narrow.

       In an unexpected twist, he was approached by a University of Central Lancashire lecturer to share his criminal expertise to aid in teaching future law enforcers and criminologists, a role he has now expanded to four additional universities.

       Having educated over a thousand students and trainee officers across the North, Darryl shares: "I tell them the aspects of what I did in that period, on areas that are vulnerable and the kind of targets I used to go for and houses I would be attracted to."

       He reveals his preference for corner houses and those obscured by trees, adding: "My lectures get good feedback and they ask loads of questions. I don't mind telling the truth, I admit what I've done."

       Beyond academia, Darryl also visits prisons, offering guidance to inmates as part of the social enterprise Entrepreneurs Unlocked, where he serves as an ambassador.

       Reflecting on his transformation, he states: "I got to a point where I realised I needed to turn my life around, and now I want to help other people do that."

       Darryl has teamed up with security firms like DeterTech to endorse products that could have stopped him in his tracks, such as SmartWater technology which tags valuables and can trace thieves post-theft.

       Reflecting on his past, he confessed: "I still think about my victims all the time. A life of crime leaves a trail of a lot of devastated people and you have to live with that."

       Despite being asked about returning to his old ways, he firmly stated: "People always ask me if I have one last job left in me, but the answer is no, never ever. I wouldn't dream of going back to that."

       He revealed the constant fear that haunted him: "When I was an active criminal, I never used to sleep well because I feared a knock on the door."

       But now, transformed, he relishes the peace of mind: "Now I've changed it's the best feeling in the world."