A south east London couple has been jailed for stealing gold chains and other valuables worth over £48,000 from various shops across the UK
South East London: So, there’s this couple who really went off the rails. They managed to steal over £48,000 worth of gold jewellery from shops all over the UK. Crazy, right?
Vadar-ghimes and Zinca Agafitei, both 46, had a pretty slick operation going. They would distract shopkeepers while they swiped thousands of pounds worth of stuff. Talk about bold!
One time, CCTV caught Mr. Agafitei stuffing £15,000 worth of gold chains right up his shirt in a shop in Norfolk. He just walked out like it was no big deal.
Then there was this other incident in Warwickshire. They distracted a shopkeeper by asking to see a watch, and while the keeper was busy, they snatched a Rolex worth £11,500. Sneaky, huh?
In Wiltshire, while Mrs. Agafitei was trying on bracelets, her partner knocked over a display stand. This little stunt let him grab £20,000 worth of bracelets while the staff were busy cleaning up. Wild!
Between May and July last year, they hit shops in places like Warwickshire, Sussex, Wiltshire, Suffolk, and Norfolk. They even stole £700 from an elderly woman who was just trying to do her banking.
They were caught on CCTV watching her before they followed her into a shop. Mr. Agafitei then used her card to withdraw cash. Just low!
Living on Penge Road in South Norwood, the couple pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft and burglary. They each got sentenced to two years and three months in jail.
Sergeant Gary Morris said it was a complex case, with the couple changing vehicles and locations to avoid getting caught. But thanks to the hard work of the police, they’re now behind bars.
He hopes this case shows that Norfolk isn’t an easy target for criminals. Anyone thinking of committing crimes there will face serious consequences.
