Gang get prison, face deportation for mobe thefts

30 shops robbed

Five men and a woman have been sentenced to prison terms for their roles in a series of burglaries of mobile phone shops.

The gang were all arrested during raids on east London addresses on 28 April by the Met's National Mobile Phone Unit, assisted by other officers.

The gang was linked to more than 30 burglaries at mobile phone shops between January and April this year. Handsets and other kit worth almost a quarter of a million pounds was stolen during the four months but police have seized about a quarter of the hardware stolen.

The Romanians pleaded guilty at trial last month and were today sentenced to between 16 and 22 months. The judge at Southwark Crown Court recommended they all be deported once they'd served their sentences.

DI Mark Loving, from the unit, said: "The Financial Investigation Unit of the NMPCU carried out meticulous work to support the case.  I would also like to thank the mobile phone industry, which played a significant role in the intelligence and evidence gathering."

The six are:

• Darfinel Varga, aged 18, of Bevan Avenue, Barking, was sentenced to 18 months
• Adrian Berchi, aged 27, of the same address, got 16 months
• Loredana (Ana) Varga [female], aged 21, of the same address, got 22 months
• Robert Adam, aged 21, of the same address, was sentenced to 22 months
• Traiain Adam, aged 41, of the same address, was sentenced to 16 months
• Valer Varga, aged 19, of Movers Lane, Barking. Was sentenced to 21 months.

The Met's press release is here. ®