Three men have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary after being caught attempting to tunnel into a jewelry shop in Tooting, South London. The arrests on Friday, July 17, at 3:12 a.m. concluded an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad that linked the group to a series of burglaries totaling over £700,000.
Police observed the suspects retreating down a tunnel as officers arrived at the scene. Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara, 38, was arrested in a nearby alleyway. Ioan Asafeti, 39, was apprehended on a rooftop, and Sergiu Plastin, 42, was arrested later that day attempting to flee to Ireland from Stansted Airport.
The tools used for the tunneling operation were discovered in a neighboring massage parlor, which served as the starting point for the illicit excavation. The investigation revealed that the group primarily targeted jewelry stores, using tunnels to bypass security systems during overnight break-ins.
Detective Superintendent Dan Mitchell stated that the arrests of these individuals not only halted the immediate burglary but also served as a culmination of a broader investigation into an organized crime group responsible for multiple jewelry store break-ins across London. He noted that offenses related to commercial burglary in the capital have decreased by 12% over the past year.
Further inquiries have suggested potential links between the group and similar offenses in Europe. The trio is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23 at Kingston Crown Court. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson affirmed the force's commitment to combating burglary and ensuring the safety of London residents, highlighting an increase in visible patrols in identified crime hotspots.