Jewellery thief locked up over raid on flat above shop

Amor Ciucur was identified from CCTV as being among those who took part in three burglaries committed during March.

They involved the theft of £30,000 worth of gold jewellery, a judge heard.

At least four of the six strong group grabbed goods from the shelves and took them to the counter to distract the cashier while one of them slipped into the flat above the shop, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The owner of Astwood Stores in Astwood Road, Worcester, had gone to a cash and carry warehouse for supplies leaving a female member of the family in charge on March 22.

Pocketing

Five Romanian men entered the shop and randomly walked around the aisles, said Mr Ravi Sidhu, prosecuting.

While they held the cashier’s attention, CCTV footage showed another person going through a gate and door – neither of which was locked – to the flat where he spent five minutes pocketing gold jewellery.

The 20-year-old defendant was also in the group that struck at a shop in Perry Barr, where they fled empty handed and took two sleeves of cigarettes worth £177 from the D E I Convenience store in Friezland Lane, Brownhills, within the space of three hours on March 29.

Ms Saleema Mahmood, defending, said he received £400 from the three burglaries.

Ciucur, of Chudleigh Road, Erdington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle, and was ordered to be detained in a Young Offenders Institution for two years and nine months by Judge Simon Ward, who told him: “You knew what you were getting into.”