Delivery driver burglars jailed after chase across Europe

The trio stole jewellery, silverware and even war medals

Three delivery drivers who committed multiple burglaries have been jailed after a manhunt across Europe.

Constantin Dragomir, 33, George Ioan, 41, and Claudiu Nicolae Popa, 26, stole jewellery, silverware and even war medals in January 2020.

Popa was tracked down in Scotland, Ioan was arrested re-entering Romania, while Dragomir was found in a Finnish prison.

The trio were jailed for a total of 14 years and two months at separate hearings at Bristol Crown Court.

The three men, all of no fixed addresses, were working as delivery men when they broke into houses and stole from elderly victims in January 2020.

'Significant impact'

Investigations following their month-long crime spree identified fingerprints, DNA and shoe marks but none matched any records on police databases.

Avon and Somerset Police worked with the National Crime Agency, Interpol, Europol and the International Crime Coordination Centre to try and trace the men.

They were also helped by the delivery company which had employed them.

A car stopped in Romania was found to be full of stolen property that came from the Bristol area

Det Insp Scott Chadwick, the senior investigating officer, said: "This organised crime group had a significant impact on the local community.

"Working as delivery drivers they targeted vulnerable people, the majority of which were elderly, stealing valuable and sentimental items from them which they would then sell."

He added that police "never gave up" chasing the criminals despite facing challenges like the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Met Police, Police Scotland and police forces in Romania also participated.

Popa was stopped for traffic offences in Romania a month after the series of burglaries in the west and a cache of stolen goods were found in his vehicle.

Officers were unable to detain him, but they seized his car and established many of the stolen items were from the Bristol area.

Several weeks later he was tracked down working in a hotel in Scotland.

A lot of stolen property was recovered and returned to its proper owners

Popa was charged with one count of conspiracy to burgle dwellings.

He was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court on 15 May 2020 after pleading guilty to his involvement in 11 burglaries and was jailed for three years and 10 months.

The International Criminal Court in the Hague coordinated a series of warrants in Romania in a bid to locate Dragomir and Ioan.

While the warrants were unsuccessful, further evidence was recovered.

Phone records, fingerprints and DNA evidence were used to build a case against the two men.

Ioan was arrested earlier this year entering Romania and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to burgle dwellings on 27 February.

He was jailed at Bristol Crown Court for six years on 13 April this year.

A selection of the stolen watches on display

Dragomir was eventually traced to a prison in Finland where he was serving a sentence for burglary offences.

He pleaded guilty on 6 June this year to one count of conspiracy to burgle dwellings and and was jailed for five years eight months on 3 July at Bristol Crown Court.

Det Insp Chadwick said: "A lot of the items they stole were sold abroad which made it extremely difficult to recover and return to its rightful owners, but thankfully we have been able to return property to 12 victims.

"We never gave up pursuing Dragomir, Ioan and Popa and this was recognised by the judge who awarded Crown Court Commendations to six of the officers involved in the investigation."

He added: "Victims have waited more than three years to see the men who broke into their homes held to account and I'd like to thank them for their patience.

"I hope this outcome reassures them and the wider community of our commitment to investigating burglary offences.

"I'd also like to thank all the law enforcement agencies who assisted us with this investigation.

"Criminals don't respect borders and in this case it's needed a Europe-wide effort to bring these offenders to justice."