An organised crime gang convicted of a series of commercial burglaries have been jailed following a surveillance operation by Flying Squad detectives.
All eight defendants appeared at Croydon Crown Court on Monday 19 June where they were sentenced as follows:
Erfan Badita, 28 [15.06.95] of Whitehorse Lane, Croydon was sentenced to 16-and-a-half years’ imprisonment. He had pleaded guilty mid-trial to conspiracy to commit burglary. He was also founding guilty of robbery; five counts of possession of a prohibited weapon [CS Spray] and transferring criminal property [money transfer to Romania].
Marian Durla, 27 [07.02.96] of Brigstock Road, Croydon had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. He was also found guilty of robbery. He was sentenced to eight-and-a-half year’s imprisonment
Sarok Sarhad, 23 [6.05.00] of Kelling Gardens, Croydon had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and possession with intent to supply a Class B drug. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.
Albert Meliteanu, 20 [29.09.02] of no fixed address had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. He was also found guilty of robbery. He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.
Alexandru Nastase, 24 [29.11.98] of Limes Grove, Croydon, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary; possession of a prohibited weapon [stun gun] and possession of a prohibited weapon [CS Gas]. He was sentenced to one-year imprisonment.
Claudiu Durla, 23 [01.03.00] of Brigstock Road, Croydon had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. He was also found guilty of robbery and was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.
Cristian Alexandru Durla, 20 [21.04.03] of Brigstock Road, Croydon had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. He was found guilty of robbery. He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.
Nicolai Lucian Zaharia, 34 [28.04.89] of Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon was sentenced to one year imprisonment after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit burglary.
During the trail, the court heard how the gang had conspired to burgle a series of commercial premises in the Croydon area between 5 September 2018 and 13 March 2022. They were usually committed over a weekend, from Friday night to Monday morning.
The venues were betting shops, cash and carry warehouses, off licences – anywhere they thought that cash might be left on the premises overnight.
Tools and ladders were used to gain access to the businesses. Once inside, the gang would either break into the safe or take it away with them. They destroyed security systems and equipment and cut power supplies before fleeing with the cash.
The crimes were committed when the premises were closed, except for one warehouse robbery where the gang waited until a member of staff was closing up, and attacked him demanding the keys which the man did not have. In frustration they searched him a number of times, with one of the defendants attempting to take a ring from his finger. Unable to locate the keys to access the property, they robbed the man of the case in his wallet and left him cable tied and beaten.
Thankfully, his injuries were not life threatening.
In March 2022, the group robbed a betting shop at Church Street, Croydon, not knowing that they were under surveillance by detectives from the Met’s Flying Squad. They were all arrested, some having literally been ‘caught in the act’.
During a search of Sarhad’s home address, a large quantity of cannabis along with weighing scales and drug dealing paraphernalia was found. He was further charged with possession with intent to supply cannabis.
Badita, whom officers believe to have been the ring leader, was involved in every offence. In addition, he had sent around £47,000 in what is believed to be criminal proceeds, back to his home country of Romania.
Detective Sergeant Paul Bartlett of the Met’s Flying Squad said: “This gang were organised and ruthless in their goal of parting business owners from their cash.
“But the effects of their crimes ran far deeper than a loss of money for the victims – the damage they caused to buildings and security systems when they broke in was an added expense; not to mention the psychological effects suffered by victims of crime that can be traumatic and long lasting.
“I have no doubt that if we hadn’t caught them, they would still be victimising hard working legitimate businesses today.
“I am pleased that they have now all been convicted and hope that this highlights the consequences of crime to other like-minded individuals.”
If you have information that could help keep your community safe, but don’t want to speak to police, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They do not ask your name and cannot trace your call or I.P address.
Any young people who have information about violence or knife crime, can visit www.fearless.org where they can pass on information anonymously – your I.P address will not be traced. Fearless is part of the Crimestoppers charity, and is also independent of the police.
