Three men have pleaded guilty after Metropolitan Police officers foiled an attempt to tunnel into a south London jewellery shop, with detectives linking the organised crime group to burglaries worth more than £700,000.
Emergency response officers were called to reports of a suspected burglary on Mitcham Road, Tooting, at around 3.12am on Friday, 17 July.
When officers arrived, Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara was arrested in a nearby alleyway.
A second suspect, Ioan Asafeti, was discovered hiding on a rooftop and was also arrested.
Officers then searched a massage parlour the pair had broken into and uncovered what police said was an elaborate attempt to gain access to a neighbouring jewellery shop.
Bags containing tools and equipment were recovered, with detectives saying the gang had been attempting to dig a tunnel through the wall into the jewellers.
A third suspect, Sergiu Plastin, was arrested later the same day at Stansted Airport as he attempted to leave the country.
Gang linked to £700,000 burglary series
The Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad launched a wider investigation and subsequently linked the men to a series of burglaries across London between May and July.
Detectives said the organised crime group predominantly targeted jewellers, using tunnelling techniques to enter premises overnight while attempting to bypass security systems.
CCTV evidence was gathered showing members of the group obtaining tools and other equipment believed to have been used during the offences.
Investigators also used mobile phone data to identify and locate Plastin after tracing a vehicle linked to the group.
Further enquiries made through Interpol indicated the group may also have links to similar offences elsewhere in Europe.
Detective Superintendent Dan Mitchell, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said:
“They dug their own hole.”
He said the arrests not only prevented the Tooting burglary but formed part of a wider investigation into an organised crime group suspected of involvement in jewellery shop burglaries worth more than £700,000.
Three admit conspiracy
On Friday, 21 August, all three men appeared at Kingston Crown Court and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary with intent to steal and cause criminal damage.
They are:
- Ioan Asafeti, 39, of no fixed address
- Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara, 38, of no fixed address
- Sergiu Plastin, 42, of Portadown, Craigavon
All three are due to be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 23 October.
