A violent, axe-wielding migrant has returned to the streets of London, with critics accusing Labour of failing to deport dangerous criminals who are “endangering the public in plain sight.” Romanian Iliuta Gruia, who has a criminal record including wielding an axe and threatening to kill an entire family in his home country, was seen lounging near Marble Arch with members of his begging gang.
Express Investigation Reveals Gruia's Criminal Past
An investigation by the Express previously revealed that Gruia, from Botosani in northern Romania, has been imprisoned several times and received a restraining order for threatening to kill a family, including children. He was part of a group that camped on London’s exclusive Park Lane in 2025 before being removed by authorities. Now, he has resurfaced in the same affluent neighbourhood.
When confronted by Express reporters, Gruia remained largely silent, muttering a few words believed to be in Romanian. A livid woman threw a drink at reporter James Knuckey and flung her bag at the photographer. An outraged passerby pulled over in his van to confront the group of around a dozen people.
Shadow Home Secretary Condemns Government Inaction
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the Romanian’s return shows the Government “doesn’t care that dangerous criminals are endangering the public in central London in plain sight.” Philp told the Express he met Gruia last year when he visited the camp on Park Lane with the Daily Express. “He verbally abused me and even accused me of being racist when I confronted him about his behaviour,” Philp said.
Philp called Gruia a “violent criminal” operating a “Fagin-style criminal gang” and demanded his immediate deportation. He added: “There are 20,000 serious foreign criminals who have remained in the country after release from prison, and who should have been deported but haven’t been. This guy is a symptom of a much wider, systemic problem. The Government has failed to deport dangerous people like him.”
Gang Operations and Local Complaints
Gruia's gang, mostly Eastern European, have congregated on a small patch of grass at the corner of Park Lane and Oxford Street, metres from Marble Arch. The area, dubbed ‘Billionaire’s Row,’ has 24-hour security patrols since the previous camp, leading the group to assemble at the current litter-strewn spot near one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets.
Workers along Oxford Street allege the group flies in from Romania each year, with numbers swelling during peak tourist season and before Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. They spend the night outside Marks & Spencer’s flagship store and push their belongings in piled-high carts to Marble Arch for the day, completing their “shifts” of begging and theft. Members have been banned from nearby shops for stealing, and a security guard claimed they sometimes follow customers to pick pockets or snatch phones.
Police Intervention and Council Response
On Monday, Gruia was filmed watching over gang members as they gambled, with one man clutching a large wad of notes. On Tuesday, Metropolitan Police officers descended on the site following complaints about street drinking, public defecation, and anti-social behaviour. Group members were told to move on or risk having belongings seized; some returned within 10 minutes. On Wednesday, Gruia was back at the site, wearing a blue baseball cap, and did not respond when asked about his recent whereabouts.
Cllr Caroline Sargent, Westminster City Council's cabinet member for enforcement, said: “As a local authority it is not our role to know the criminal records of people who pitch up in Westminster. We do our part in trying to move people who are unlawfully occupying public spaces. We expect police and the Home Office to investigate and take the necessary enforcement action where needed.”
