Three held after tunnelling bid at London jeweller
Bastillepost · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago1 MIN
Summary
Three Romanian men have pleaded guilty after police intercepted an alleged attempt to tunnel from a Thai massage shop into a neighbouring jewellery store in south London. Investigators said the organised crime group was also linked to a series of jewellery burglaries across London between May and July, with stolen goods worth more than £700,000
Key Points
- Police responded in the early hours after three suspects entered a Thai massage parlour in London and allegedly began breaking through an internal wall
- Officers first arrested 38-year-old Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara in a nearby alley as he allegedly tried to flee the scene
- A second suspect, 39-year-old Ioan Asafeti, was later found hiding on the building's roof during the police search
- The third man, 42-year-old Sergiu Plastin, was arrested at an airport while preparing to board a flight to Ireland
- Investigators found a large hole in the massage shop wall and seized bags of tools and equipment believed to be used for tunnelling and burglary
Why It Matters
The case points to a highly organised burglary method aimed at jewellery businesses and timed for late-night hours to avoid security systems. Police also believe the group may have used similar tactics elsewhere in Europe, suggesting the investigation could have cross-border implications