Romanian Crime Gang Jailed for Billion-Pound UK Burglary Spree
Twelve Romanian men linked to a slick international crime network have been locked up for a series of daring, high-value burglaries across the UK. The gang targeted warehouses and freight depots, snatching millions worth of rare books, smartphones, laptops and gadgets in well-planned raids.
Hoards of Priceless Goods Stolen, Including Rare Books
The criminal crew operated between December 2016 and April 2019, pulling off 12 major break-ins in hotspots like Peterborough, Sheffield, Feltham, and Enfield. Their raids often involved scaling roofs with ropes and ladders to dodge alarms and CCTV.
Among the loot were culturally significant books by Sir Isaac Newton, Francisco Goya, and Galileo, stolen from a customs warehouse storing shipments en route to a US book fair. The gang ran a tight operation, flying members into the UK to hit targets before swiftly flying them back out, while other members smuggled the stolen goods overseas.
International Police Operation Brings Gang to Justice
The Met’s Specialist Crime South unit joined forces with Romanian and Italian police, supported by Europol and Eurojust. The multinational crackdown led to simultaneous raids at 45 locations across the UK, Romania, and Italy in June 2019. The precious stolen books were recovered buried underground in Romania last September.
Detective Inspector Andy Durham said: “This marks the end of a complicated three-year probe that exposed and convicted a previously unknown Romanian gang. They showed no mercy for their victims, forcing businesses to close and causing millions in losses. Proud the Met and our international partners have put a stop to their crime spree.”
Sentences Handed Down Across the Board
- Vasille Ionel Pragina, 28, Romania – 3 years 8 months
- Marian Mamaliga, 34, Romania – 4 years
- Liviu Leahu, 39, Romania – 3 years 8 months
- Daniel David, 37, Romania – 3 years 7 months
- Paul Popeanu, 35, Hemel Hempstead – 3 years 3 months
- Gavril Popinciuc, 45, Romania – 5 years 8 months
- Cristian Ungureanu, 41, extradited from Italy – 5 years 1 month
- Narcis Popescu, 34, Romania – 4 years 2 months
- Traian-Daniel Mihulca, 32, Romania – 4 years
- Marian Albu, 41, Harrow – 4 years
- Victor Opariuc, 29, Romania – 3 years 7 months
- Ilie Ungureanu, 33, extradited from Germany – 3 years 8 months
£4.5 Million Loot Hauled Out of UK
The gang is tied to the notorious Clamparu crime family in Romania’s Iasi region. Their history of complex high-value thefts were mostly outside Romania – until now. Police estimate the network stole around £4.5 million worth of goods, shipping most of it out of the country.
Daring Break-Ins Exposed by CCTV and ANPR
One spectacular raid in Peterborough saw the gang cut holes through adjoining warehouse walls to sneak inside and steal £200,000 of electronics without tripping alarms.
At the book heist warehouse, police ANPR cameras caught the gang arriving in a Renault Megane. They stealthily gained entry by cutting holes in fences and skylights, avoiding sensors by dropping directly onto storage shelves. In five hours, they packed 200 precious books into stolen holdalls and spirited them away.
Finally, gang members drove the booty out of the UK via the Eurotunnel in a van, evading detection for months until international police finally caught up with them.
