Oprea Elvis-Paris, 20, of Woodville Road, Leicester – sentenced to eight months (Image: Cheshire Police)
A Romanian burglary gang including a crook named after Elvis Presley, has been jailed – after travelling across the UK for a £50,000 power tool raid. Oprea Elvis-Paris, 20; Renato-Mario Grosu, 18; Florian State, 22 and Cezar Tudoran, 30, made their way from Luton, Leicester and Northampton to raid the Northwich Biogas Plant, in Cheshire.
Chester Crown Court heard that after the February 19th night-time raid they travelled back in a white Ford Transit van with tens of thousands of pounds worth of copper cabling and other ill-gotten gains. But they were traced because a blundering fifth gangster – Paul Matei, 37, of Luton – had put his name on an insurance policy for the van.
Florian State, 22, of Trent Road, Luton – sentenced to eight months (Image: Cheshire Police)
Renato-Mario Grosu, 18, of Liston Close, Luton – sentenced to eight months (Image: Cheshire Police)
Now the four gangsters have been jailed for a total of 34 months – while Matei was earlier jailed for 12 months back in February at Chester Magistrates Court. All five admitted burglary.
Detective Sergeant John Lyons, of Northwich Proactive CID, said: “This burglary involved a significant level of planning, with the offenders travelling halfway across the country to carry out their crime.
“They deliberately targeted a commercial premises, resulting in losses of more than £50,000 worth of equipment and causing considerable disruption to the business.
“However, thanks to the work of our officers from Northwich Proactive CID, the group were quickly identified, traced back to Luton, and subsequently arrested.”
The court heard that during the evening of Thursday 19th February, five unknown men gained unauthorised access to the commercial premises in Northwich.
Once inside, they stole £50,000 worth of power tools and copper cabling before fleeing the scene. The incident was reported to Cheshire Police the next day.
Cezar Tudoran, 30, of Poole Street, Northampton – sentenced to 10 months (Image: Cheshire Police)
The force said: “Following enquiries, officers from Northwich Proactive CID identified a white Ford Transit van involved in the incident.
“The van had travelled from Luton to Northwich and back again on the day of the burglary.
“After establishing Matei was insured on the vehicle, officers attended his address in Luton and searched his home where they recovered a significant quantity of the stolen tools.
“Matei was arrested and subsequently charged with burglary.
“Four other men, who we now know to be Elvis-Paris, Grosu, State, and Tudoran, were also arrested at the address and later charged in relation to the incident.”
Paul Matei, 37, of Liston Close, Luton – sentenced to 12 months (Image: Cheshire Police)
Oprea Elvis-Paris, 20, of Woodville Road, Leicester; Renato-Mario Grosu, 18, of Liston Close, Luton and Florian State, 22, of Trent Road, Luton, were all sentenced to eight months in jail.
Cezar Tudoran, 30, of Poole Street, Northampton, was caged for 10 months while Paul Matei, 37, of Liston Close, Luton, was earlier sentenced to 12 months in prison on Friday 27 February.
DS Lyons added: “I hope the outcome of this case reassures local residents and businesses of how seriously we take burglary and the lengths we will go to bring offenders to justice.
“Anyone considering travelling to Cheshire to commit crime should be under no illusion: they will be detected, pursued, and held accountable.”
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