Peppa Pig Creator's Mansion Burgled by Romanian Gang with Art Heist Past

Two Romanian nationals with a history of high-profile art theft have been sentenced for burgling the Surrey mansion of Mark Baker, the creator of the children's television show "Peppa Pig." Radu Dogaru, 41, and Adrian Alempi, 34, stole approximately £65,000 worth of luxury goods from Baker's home on Valentine's Day this year.

The pair entered Baker's 12,500-square-foot property through a first-floor window while the owners were out, despite the home being equipped with a pool, spa, cinema, and gym. The alarm system had not been properly activated. Upon returning, the Bakers discovered 15 designer bags, a Rolex watch, and jewelry were missing.

CCTV footage later showed Dogaru and Alempi transporting a Louis Vuitton suitcase at Claygate Station in Surrey. Police surveillance identified the two men, and three days later, they were involved in a second burglary in Kingston-upon-Thames. In this incident, the owner was away in Hungary, but received an alert from his home security system. The burglars forced open a safe containing gold bars, jewelry, cash, and passports.

Dogaru and Alempi were arrested as they attempted to board a bus. Several items stolen from Baker's residence were recovered during a search of Dogaru's home. Both men pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary. Alempi also admitted to illegally entering the UK on February 13, the day before the Baker burglary, in violation of a deportation order.

Alempi was sentenced to five years in prison, and Dogaru received a four-year sentence. The court heard that both men had previously been jailed in the Netherlands for their roles in a significant art heist in 2012. Works by artists including Picasso, Monet, Matisse, Gauguin, Meyer de Haan, and Lucien Freud were stolen from the Kunsthal gallery in Rotterdam. Most of those masterpieces, insured for $24.4 million, were never recovered. Dogaru and Alempi served sentences in relation to that theft.

A third associate, Alexandru Tepelus, 33, received a suspended sentence and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work after admitting to handling stolen goods. This charge related to a separate incident in which items worth £69,000, including a Chanel handbag, were stolen from another Kingston home in 2024. The stolen items were eventually identified on an auction website after being processed by a pawnbroking firm that also had dealings with Dogaru and Alempi.

During the sentencing, the judge noted that Mrs. Baker had experienced significant fear and anxiety following the burglary, at one point mistaking her husband for an intruder. The judge also acknowledged the defendants' desire to return to Romania after serving their sentences.