Guzman-Betancourt targeted leading London hotels

He modelled himself on Raffles, the fictional jewel thief, and on Leonardo DiCaprio's character in Catch Me If You Can, to hijack the identities of wealthy guests.

Famous London establishments including the Mandarin Oriental, Dorchester, Lanesborough, Meridien, Four Seasons, Intercontinental, Savoy, Royal Garden and the Grosvenor House were targeted.

He fooled hotel staff using excuses of "lost room keys" and "forgotten safe codes" to be let in to rooms and the security boxes inside.

Guzman-Betancourt, who has been jailed for three-and-a-half years, was only caught when an off-duty detective spotted him in a London supermarket.

Worldwide spree

After hijacking a guest's identity, via a health club registration book or bar tab, he would pretend to have lost his room key and get staff to let him in.

He would then plunder the room at will, sometimes after asking them to unlock the safe as well.

Speaking several languages, and with 10 aliases, the Colombian managed to steal �150,000 of jewellery, cash and goods in the UK.

He is always immaculately presented, very charming and speaks several languages fluently Det Sgt Andy Swindells Scotland Yard

Detectives believe he may have taken up to �500,000 worldwide.

In 1998, he burgled four London hotels, was arrested, but skipped bail and then repeatedly evaded police.

As well as raids on London hotels, he had been held in France for a similar crime, was wanted by US police and was thought to have committed crimes in South and Central America, Russia, Canada, Thailand and Japan.

Guzman-Betancourt admitted burgling the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London's Knightsbridge in May 2001 and the Dorchester, Park Lane, in December 2004.

Vegas theft

At the Mandarin Oriental, he took �40,000 of jewellery and some cash from guests. At the Dorchester, thousands of pounds worth of designer items - a Bahrain businessman's Christmas shopping.

In 2001 he burgled four other London hotels and then took a �400 chauffeur-driven Bentley to Heathrow using a credit card he had stolen.

He blew �8,000 at departures before flying to Paris and spending money in designer boutiques.

Later that year he was arrested by French police when he conned hotel staff out of room keys.

Then, at the Four Seasons in Las Vegas, he stole nearly �160,000 in jewellery and cash from a UK couple staying at the hotel.

Eyebrow clue

Detectives have described the 29-year-old as "a professional, a highly accomplished liar".

Scotland Yards Det Sgt Andy Swindells, who recognised and arrested him, said: "He is plausible, believable and incredibly well-versed in identity theft, identity assumption, hotels and foreign travel.

"He is always immaculately presented, very charming and speaks several languages fluently.

"He works internationally, and Interpol may shed light on the commission of other offences."

But it was his "distinctive eyebrow mole" that eventually proved his downfall, prosecutor Philip Rubery said.