Three people convicted after attempt to steal £20k worth of phones
It happened at a Tesco supermarket in Burgess Hill
Three people have been sentenced after they were caught attempting to steal £20,000 worth of mobile phones from a supermarket in Burgess Hill.
The trio entered Tesco in Jane Murray Way on the afternoon of 17 May and started to rip the devices from display.
Staff, customers and three off-duty police officers quickly responded to detain the suspects and recover the phones. A number of people were assaulted in the process.
The three defendants were subsequently arrested and charged with attempted robbery, and all pleaded guilty.
Valetin Bocan (pictured), 24, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody and appeared before Lewes Crown Court on 8 September, where he was sentenced to 23 months’ imprisonment.
Mario Ilie, 18, of Saint Awdrys Road, Barking, was sentenced to 22 months – suspended for 24 months – at an earlier hearing and a 16-year-old boy from Ilford, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was referred to a youth offender panel.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Stuart MacPherson said:
“This was a brazen act of attempted robbery, committed in a busy supermarket in broad daylight.
“The defendants seemingly had no concern for the consequences of their actions, and it is only thanks to the quick-thinking staff, customers and off-duty officers that they were detained and a significant loss was prevented.”