Three members of an organised crime group have been jailed for attempting to tunnel into a jewellery shop in south London, in a plot linked to more than £700,000 of burglaries across the capital.
The gang was caught digging into a jewellery store on Mitcham Road in Tooting just after 3am on July 17. Body-worn camera footage showed how they had broken into a neighbouring massage parlour with the intention of tunnelling through to the jeweller's.
Arrests and evidence
Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara was arrested by officers in a nearby alleyway, while Ioan Asafeti was found hiding on a rooftop and handcuffed. A third member, Sergiu Plastin, was detained later the same day at Stansted Airport as he attempted to flee to Ireland on a flight, having been tracked to the Essex airport by a flying squad via mobile phone data.
Officers recovered tools and equipment discarded by the gang, which had been used to dig the passageway between the two shops. Enquiries through Interpol found the group had possible links to similar offences in Europe.
Sentences handed down
The trio appeared at Kingston Crown Court on October 23 after admitting in August to charges of conspiracy to commit burglary with intent to steal and cause criminal damage. Asafeti, 39, was jailed for four years and 10 months, while Plastin, 42, received three years and four months. Nitisoara, 38, was handed a two-year sentence.
DCI Craig Magee said: 'Today's sentencing sends a clear message: if you target London businesses, we'll catch you, and you will face justice.' He added: 'Our crackdown on thieves is delivering results. We're driving down commercial burglary across the capital, with offences falling by 11 per cent in the past 12 months.'
Crime trends
According to Met Police figures, commercial burglaries fell by 10.7 per cent in the year to September, compared with the previous 12-month period.
