Two Romanian migrants who turned to professional shoplifting just two months after arriving illegally in the United Kingdom have been sentenced to prison for a single-day theft spree valued at over £10,000. Nicolae-Marius Negoita, aged 44, and Maria-Lacramioara Anescu, 30, targeted high-street retailers John Lewis and Next on November 1st, making off with a substantial haul of women's clothing.
Organised Crime Operation Uncovered
The pair were apprehended by police at a shopping centre in Milton Keynes. During court proceedings at Aylesbury Crown Court, it was revealed that Negoita and Anescu were being paid a daily wage of £200 by organised criminals to steal expensive goods. Prosecutor Laura Nash detailed the method of the offences, stating that Negoita attempted to conceal items while Anescu placed them into a bag.
Police successfully recovered the stolen clothing, with items valued at £9,768.60 from John Lewis and £583 from Next. When questioned, Negoita admitted to 'stealing items with Ms Anescu for a form of employment'. He explained to authorities that Albanian nationals had presented the shoplifting opportunity as work in exchange for money.
Defence Arguments and Mitigation
Christopher Fairweather, defending father-of-one Negoita, told the court his client had been 'encouraged by others for a promise of £200 a day'. He emphasised that the high value of the stolen goods was not something from which Negoita directly profited. The lawyer added that Negoita had come to the UK seeking better prospects, but his immigration status did not permit him to work legally.
Jaclin Bastian, representing mother-of-two Anescu, stated her client believed the John Lewis items were worth approximately £900 and was 'somewhat shocked' to learn their true value approached £9,000. Anescu, who works in a bar in Romania, had initially travelled to the UK two months prior with Negoita, a friend, after being promised employment that never materialised.
'Her plan was always to return to Romania once this particular job had finished,' Ms Bastian explained. 'When she got to the UK, it transpired the job was actually a lie and there was no job available for her - so she wanted to return to Romania as soon as possible.' She claimed Anescu agreed to drive to Milton Keynes for the thefts, expecting £200 payment to fund her return home.
Sentencing and Judicial Remarks
Mr Recorder Nigel Sangster acknowledged both defendants had no previous convictions in Britain and gave them full credit for admitting theft. However, he described their actions as 'shoplifting on a professional scale'. The judge sentenced Negoita to two years imprisonment and Anescu to 18 months behind bars.
Broader Context of Romanian Gang-Related Shoplifting
These sentences arrive amid growing concerns about Romanian gang-related shoplifting operations across the UK. The case follows several similar incidents involving Romanian nationals engaged in organised retail theft.
In August 2024, Bianca Mirica, a 20-year-old Romanian mother of three, was found guilty of shoplifting Boots cosmetics valued at over £300,000. She claimed through an interpreter that the stolen items were for personal use. Police indicated she was used by gangs, predominantly run by Romanian organised crime networks, that employ women to target high-street retailers.
Further cases include three women jailed for a £40,000 crime spree targeting make-up and beauty counters in East Anglia, and a Romanian shoplifting ring operating in York that stole £1,282 of fragrances from Browns department store. Beauty products are particularly coveted due to their small size, high value, and ease of resale.
Retail Crime Epidemic and Expert Analysis
The organised thefts contribute to what industry leaders describe as a shoplifting epidemic costing the retail industry £2.2 billion in 2023-2024, equating to more than 55,000 incidents daily. Almost 444,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by police forces in England and Wales in the year to March 2024, a significant increase from 342,428 in the previous twelve months.
British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson has warned: 'Retail crime is spiralling out of control. Every day, criminals are getting bolder and more aggressive.'
Former Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector David McKelvey, co-founder of private security firm My Local Bobby, provided insight into the operations: 'The majority of the organised crime gangs involved in shoplifting are Romanians. There is only one reason they come here – to commit crime. They see the UK as rich pickings.'
McKelvey described their methods: 'They operate in the same way. A man in an expensive vehicle like a Range Rover drops off the team, usually women, who target a particular area, before picking them up at the end of the day and moving on to the next area.'
International Crime Tourists
In a related development, two Romanian 'crime tourists' were jailed in December 2024 after being caught in the UK following jewellery thefts across Europe. Married couple Vadar-Ghimes and Zinca Agafitei, both 46, were arrested after stealing ten gold chains worth £15,000 from a Norfolk jeweller. Investigations revealed they had taken jewellery worth another £48,000 from locations across the Midlands and southern England within weeks.
Remarkably, they had been allowed into the country despite a history of similar distraction thefts and burglaries at small independent businesses in Italy, Malta, Turkey, and Germany. Both received 27-month prison sentences after admitting multiple charges.
Migration Background and Economic Contribution
It is important to note that many Romanians arrived in the UK after 2014 when restrictions on their right to work were lifted, following Romania's admission to the European Union in 2007. The vast majority contribute positively to the economy, working in sectors such as hospitality, agriculture, and healthcare where recruiting British staff can be challenging.
However, these cases highlight how organised criminal networks exploit vulnerable individuals, particularly those with irregular immigration status who are unable to secure legal employment. The promise of quick money often leads migrants into criminal activities orchestrated by sophisticated gangs operating across international borders.
