Two Romanian burglars who stole £300,000 in gems from a Fleet Street jewellers

Two Romanian burglars who stole £300,000 in gems from a Fleet Street jewellers drilled through the wrong wall and accidentally tunnelled into a William Hill betting shop moments before raid, court hears

  • Florin-Cristin Neagu, 46, Sorin Munteanu, 44, are accused of the ‘daring’ raid
  • They allegedly drilled into London jewellers and painted security cameras white
  • The pair deny conspiracy to commit burglary at Southwark Crown Court

Two Romanian burglars drilled through a bookmakers into an upmarket jewellers to steal £300,000 worth of gems while a half-marathon masked the noise, a court heard.

Florin-Cristin Neagu, 46, and Sorin Munteanu, 44, allegedly dug into the basement of George Attenborough & Son on London’s Fleet Street before fleeing the country.

The men committed a ‘sophisticated and daring’ burglary over the span of a weekend, using the crowds cheering on the London Landmarks Half Marathon as cover, Southwark Crown Court heard.  

The Romanian nationals are accused of drilling into secure areas of the store through an adjoining wall in a William Hill betting shop stairwell and painting security cameras with white paint.  

 Two Romanian suspected burglars drilled through a bookmakers into an upmarket jewellers to steal £300,000 worth of gems while a half-marathon masked the noise, a court heard. Pictured: a boarded up hole in William Hill

They were arrested in their native Romania in July and flown back to the UK the following month to go on trial accused of plotting the audacious raid.

A third man, Nicolae Sisca, 46, was arrested before he could escape and has already been sentenced for his involvement, jurors heard. 

They allegedly spent the weekend in March 2019 breaking through solid masonry into the secure store before stealing approximately £300,000 worth of jewellery. They then both left the country within 48 hours. 

Amanda Holden was also among the celebrities taking part in the London half-marathon which masked the noise of the raid on London's Fleet Street

Amanda Holden was also among the celebrities taking part in the London half-marathon which masked the noise of the raid on London’s Fleet Street

The men are accused of targeting the jewllers located on Fleet Street and Chancery Lane

The men are accused of targeting the jewllers located on Fleet Street and Chancery Lane

They allegedly spent the weekend in March 2019 breaking through solid masonry into the secure store

They allegedly spent the weekend in March 2019 breaking through solid masonry into the secure store 

Phillip Stott, prosecuting, said the defendant targeted the luxury high-end jeweller, located on Fleet Street and Chancery Lane. 

‘The other man, Nicolae Sisca, was arrested close to the time of the offence before he could leave the country and has already pleaded guilty to burglary. That is why he is not before you today,’ he told the court.

‘George Attenborough & Sons is not the only business in the building. Immediately to the north of 193 Fleet Street is 126 Chancery Lane. That building has a branch of William Hill bookmakers located in the basement.

The two Romanian nationals are accused of drilling into secure areas of the store through an adjoining wall from a William Hill betting shop

 The two Romanian nationals are accused of drilling into secure areas of the store through an adjoining wall from a William Hill betting shop

The gang used the noise and crowds of a half-marathon to disguise the raid. Pictured: Singer and TV personality Cheryl Baker taking part in the run

The gang used the noise and crowds of a half-marathon to disguise the raid. Pictured: Singer and TV personality Cheryl Baker taking part in the run 

‘The stairs leading down to William Hill immediately adjoin the northern wall of George Attenborough & Sons.

‘The wall between 126 Chancery Lane and 193 Fleet Street is solid masonry. As you will see, it was through that wall, from the stairwell leading to William Hill, that access was eventually gained to GA&S.’

Neagu and Muntenau were later extradited to the UK from Romania and both deny conspiracy to burgle and burglary. The trial continues.   

George Attenborough and Son Jewellers was founded in 1843. It refers to itself as ‘one of the United Kingdom’s most iconic, traditional jewellers’ and ‘one of the final vestiges of Victorian England’. 

Thieves broke into the upmarket George Attenborough and Son Jewellers on Fleet Street in central London (pictured)

Thieves broke into the upmarket George Attenborough and Son Jewellers on Fleet Street in central London (pictured)

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk