A Coventry man who was part of a sophisticated distraction theft gang has been jailed. Lorin Moga, along with Iulian Vladu, stole £1,400 from a man after travelling more than 100 miles to Cheshire.
In October 2023, Vladu, 48, travelled to Warrington with a separate accomplice, 20-year-old Geta Marin, and stole a wallet from a man who was shopping. Officers began investigating and recovered CCTV of the pair and their vehicle, Cheshire Police said.
Just days later, they arrested Vladu and Marin after stopping the car on the M62. Vladu and Marin were charged with theft but released on bail, at which point they absconded.
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In September 2024, Vladu returned to Warrington, this time with 33-year-old Lorin Moga. Both were said to have distracted a man and stolen his wallet containing £400 in cash and several bank cards, which were used to withdraw £1,000.
Officers used CCTV to identify the vehicle Vladu and Moga were travelling in, which led to them being arrested in October. Both were charged with the offences and appeared at Warrington Magistrates’ Court, where they were released on bail, Cheshire Police said.
After being released, Vladu and Moga drove to Holyhead in Wales and attempted to flee to Ireland. Police stopped the pair and later charged them with being likely to breach bail, which led to them being remanded in custody ahead of their sentencing.
Moga, of Foleshill Road, Coventry, and Vladu, of Gladstone Road, Northampton, pleaded guilty to theft and fraud by false representation, Cheshire Police said. Both were sentenced to 16 weeks in jail at Warrington Magistrates’ Court.
PC Graham Davies said: “Vladu and Moga purposefully travelled to Warrington in order to commit crime and thought that by travelling from outside the area, they would be able to get an easy ride and that we would not be able to track them down. However, as this result demonstrates, the pair seriously underestimated the tenacity and dedication of the team here at Warrington to ensure those who commit crime in our town are brought to justice.
“I would particularly like to recognise the work of PC Sam Horton and PC Abbie Delaney, who helped to gather all of the CCTV footage which enabled us to identify Vladu and Moga as the offenders. I would also like to thank our colleagues at Thames Valley Police and West Yorkshire Police for helping us to catch the pair.”
Geta Marin
(Image: Cheshire Police)
Police are continuing the hunt for 20-year-old Geta Marin. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call Cheshire Police on 101.
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