A pair of Romanian ‘professional’ shoplifters who stole thousands of pounds worth of goods from four local Tesco stores in just one evening have been sent to prison.

Alexandra Zamfir, 24, and Robert Pascu, 20, were finally sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday, March 1. Sentencing of the pair had been adjourned on three previous occasions.

At an earlier hearing the court heard how the pair, from Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, travelled hundreds of miles to target local shops. They started their shoplifting spree in Cardigan Tesco on the afternoon of September 23 last year.

Both men were seen on CCTV entering the store with a shopping trolley each and large bags in the trolleys.

They proceeded to take printer ink, freeing them from the security hook and placing clothing over the items.

They added a tray of Nicorette products to this before leaving the store at 4.50pm with goods valued at around £800.

Both men then travelled to Tesco in Haverfordwest arriving there at around 5.30pm. In less than 30 minutes the men had taken razors, printer ink and Nicorette products to the value of £1,500.

The pair then hit Tesco in Milford Haven, arriving there at 6.15. Staff noticed them acting suspiciously, pulling clothing over their trolley when members of staff were nearby.

While in the store they took printer ink and toothbrushes to the value of more than £1,000.

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Within minutes the pair were in Pembroke Dock Tesco where again they took printer ink, placing it in a bag in the trolley. They left the shop carrying the bag with no intention of paying for the items, again worth around £1,000.

Three days after the west Wales thefts Zamfir was arrested at an Asda store in Birkenhead and charged with theft of printer ink from that store and assaulting a police officer.

At the previous hearing Judge Geraint Walters said the pair were ‘accomplished shop lifters who did one thing; travelling round the country stealing goods from supermarkets. That’s what they did for a living’.

Both men were arrested at Hollyhead on January 5 of this year as they disembarked from the Irish ferry. They initially gave no comment interviews but then pleaded guilty to their crimes at Llanelli Magistrates Court.

The court heard that both men had previous convictions for similar offences from all round the UK.

Judge Geraint Walters handed Pascu four eight-month prison sentences for three counts of theft and one of attempted theft. All sentences are to run concurrently, giving a total prison sentence of eight months.

Zamfir was also given four eight-month prison sentences for three counts of theft and one of attempted theft to run concurrently.

For the Birkenhead theft and assault he was given four months in prison to run consecutively, giving a total sentence of 12 months.

Dyfed-Powys Police does not issue custody photographs for defendants sentenced to less than 12 months in prison.

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