A MAN from Co. Armagh who was part of a gang that attempted to tunnel their way into a jewellery shop in London has been jailed for more than three years.
Sergiu Plastin, 42, of Portadown was arrested at Stansted Airport as he attempted to flee to Ireland in the hours after the burglary.
His two accomplices, who were arrested at the scene, were also sentenced after all three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary with intent to steal and cause criminal damage.
Alongside Plastin at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 39-year-old Ioan Asafeti was jailed for four years and 10 months while Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara, 38, was sentenced to two years.
"Today's sentencing sends a clear message: if you target London businesses, we'll catch you, and you will face justice," said Detective Chief Inspector Craig Magee.
The gang had attempted to tunnel into the jewellers from a neighbouring massage parlour (Image: Metropolitan Police)Shortly after 3am on Friday, July 17, officers responded to reports of a suspected burglary on Mitcham Road, Tooting.
Nitisoara was arrested immediately in a nearby alleyway while Asafeti was found hiding on a rooftop following a search of the area and put in handcuffs.
Officers searched a massage parlour the pair had broken into and uncovered their plan to tunnel through a wall into the neighbouring jewellery shop.
They also found bags of tools and equipment being used to dig the hole.
Detectives identified a car linked to the group and used mobile phone data to track down Plastin, who was arrested at Stansted Airport later that day as he tried to flee to Ireland.
Plastin was arrested at Stansted Airport as he tried to flee to Ireland (Image: Metropolitan Police)The investigation, led by the Met's Flying Squad, linked the group to several burglaries across London between May and July worth more than £700,000.
The men mainly targeted jewellers, using tunnelling techniques to gain access to shops overnight while bypassing security systems.
Detectives gathered extensive CCTV footage showing members of the group obtaining tools and other equipment used in the offences.
Further enquiries through Interpol revealed the group had possible links to similar offences in Europe.
From left, Plastin, Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara and Ioan Asafeti (Images: Metropolitan Police)"Our crackdown on thieves is delivering results," said DCI Magee.
"We're driving down commercial burglary across the capital, with offences falling by 11 per cent in the past 12 months.
"The arrests of these three thieves didn't just stop this burglary.
“They formed part of a wider Flying Squad investigation that uncovered an organised crime group linked to a string of jewellery shop break-ins across London worth more than £700,000."
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