A Barking phone thief and an accomplice who targeted music fans at a Libertines concert have been jailed for three years.
Marius Buzura, of Longbridge Road, and Emanuel Paraschiv, of Clarissa Street, Haggerston, were spotted acting suspiciously at Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena on the evening of Wednesday, January 27.
Officers later found 38 mobiles stuffed down Paraschiv’s trousers.
The pair, both 30, admitted conspiracy to steal and were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, February 26.
Insp Gareth Morris said: “It’s an unfortunately reality that large crowds at concerts such as this make rich pickings for career criminals.
“We’re hot on the heels of these offenders but you can also reduce your chances of falling victim to such crimes by remaining extra vigilant when attending busy events.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here