Farnborough perfume burglar jailed for targeting chemists

Police found pictures on Florea's phone of him posing with large amounts of cash

A burglar who targeted chemists for perfumes has been jailed for four and a half years.

Bogdan Florea, 33, from Farnborough, Hampshire, committed a string of offences between July and September 2021.

He was caught after his car was spotted near a break-in in Reading, Berkshire.

On Monday at Guildford Crown Court, he was sentenced to 54 months jail after pleading guilty to burglary and possession of false ID.

Two cars belonging to him were also ordered to be seized and destroyed.

The first break-in happened in Farnham, Surrey, on 16 July, followed by others in Fleet, Hampshire, Walton-on-Thames, Godalming and Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford.

Chemists were badly damaged during the spate of burglaries

After the burglary in Reading, police went to Florea's home and saw him drive away in a vehicle involved in the break-in.

A search of his home found 131 high-value perfumes. His phone contained pictures of the stolen items, satnav directions to the shops that had been burgled, plus pictures of false ID he had been found in possession of, and of himself posing with large amounts of cash.

Bogdan Florea has been jailed for four and a half years

Det Con Pete Coe, of Surrey Police, said: "Florea would go with the equipment necessary to break in. He even carried a fake driving licence which he presented to officers when he was confronted and removed the number plates of the vehicles to try and hide his identity.

"Not only did he steal thousands of pounds worth of valuable stock, he would often smash windows to gain entry, causing large amounts of damage and even more disruption."

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