London Gang Nabbed for Brutal Nottingham Laptop Heist
Five members of a London gang have been slammed with a combined 40 years behind bars for luring a man into a trap and robbing him in Nottingham. The vicious daylight attack left the victim battered and robbed of thousands.
Victim Targeted Over Laptop Deal
The victim agreed to buy two laptops from Ionel Radu and was told to meet Radu’s 16-year-old son in The Meadows, Nottingham. On 27 February 2025, George Chirita greeted the man at Hope Close, directing him where to park his van.
Behind a row of houses near a disused shop, three men – one armed with a knife – pounced. They slashed his coat, knocked him down, punched, kicked, and stabbed him in the arm during the brutal assault. The gang made off with over £6,000 in cash and a pricey watch. The victim suffered a facial fracture and cuts under his eye.
Police Crack Case with CCTV, Dashcam & ANPR Tech
A passerby’s intervention forced the gang to flee. Police rushed the victim to hospital and launched an intense investigation. Detectives traced the gang’s getaway car – a grey Skoda Octavia – using CCTV, dashcam footage, and ANPR number plate recognition.
They uncovered the gang’s plan: the group, including Chirita, Costel Ilie, Mihai Melu, Ionut Stoica, and ringleader Radu, scouted Nottingham the day before. They had driven in from London to pull off the robbery, then fled straight home. Even their cheeky stop at a local KFC before the crime was caught on camera.
Gang Sentenced After Weak Denial
Raids on the suspects’ London homes led to multiple arrests. Melu surrendered after police recognised his hoodie from the footage. Chirita fled during the trial and is believed to be hiding in Romania.
All five denied conspiracy to commit robbery but were found guilty at Nottingham Crown Court. On 18 December, Radu was handed 10 years. Stoica and Ilie got eight years each, Melu seven years, and Chirita was sentenced in absentia to seven years in a young offender institution.
Justice has caught up with this ruthless gang, who thought they could get away with a savage daylight robbery.
