The trio would hug and compliment their victims before making off with their jewellery
Geta Schian, 33, Geneza Dumitru, 35, and Sefora Mazarache, 27, have been jailed for burglary-related offences (Image: Greater Manchester Police )
Three women have been jailed for a string of distraction burglaries in Manchester city centre in which they which they stole valuable jewellery from lone and vulnerable women.
Geta Schian, 33, Geneza Dumitru, 35, and Sefora Mazarache, 27, worked together to charm and distract their victims, often complimenting or hugging them before quickly attempting to make off with their jewellery.
On one occasion Schian and Mazarache stole an antique jade bracelet from a 97-year-old woman waiting on her own for her husband in Manchester city centre.
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The trio were arrested on suspicion of theft and robbery related offences in January, and have been sentenced to a combined total of more than six years in prison at Manchester Crown Court on Monday (July 6).
Greater Manchester Police said that on October 9 last year, Mazarache approached a woman walking with her young son on Meldon Road in Rusholme at around 12:30pm.
Mazarache began to compliment the woman and her young child, then reaching for her hand and pulling on a ring she was wearing, causing her pain.
Mazarache also attempted to snatch the woman’s mobile phone as she screamed for help before walking away.
Sefora Mazarache, 27, of Jessop Street, Manchester(Image: GMP)
On November 27 last year, Mazarache and Schian approached a woman walking home along Oxford Road and began to grab and hug them, before asking her for food and money.
They then took the woman under an archway and one pulled the gold bracelet from her wrist, before running off in separate directions.
On January 10 this year, another woman standing waiting for her daughter on Oxford Street at around 2pm was approached by Mazarache, Schian and Dumitru. Two of them began to talk to the woman while a third remained on look out.
One of the women then hugged the woman and attempted to take the ring off her finger. The trio ran off when she shouted for help.
Later that same day, Mazarache and Schian approached a 97-year-old woman waiting on Dale Street for her husband to pick her up. She was leaning on her walking aid as they approached, the court heard.
The women began to hold the elderly woman’s hand and hugged and kissed her – while at the same time snatching a jade antique bracelet off her wrist.
The women could be seen on CCTV distracting an elderly woman before robbing her(Image: GMP)
The trio were arrested on January 14 and have now each been handed sentences of over two years each.
Geta Schian, of Calbourne Avenue, east London, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for attempt theft from the person of another.
Sefora Mazarache, of Jessop Street, Manchester, was sentenced to 38 months in prison for attempted robbery.
Geneza Dumitru, of Dukinfield Road, Manchester, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for robbery.
PC Dombai from The Neighbourhood Crime Team at Longsight said that police would take such incidents ‘very seriously’.
“We hope this sentence sends a message that robbery will not be tolerated,” he said. “We will pursue offenders and bring them to justice.
“If you see anything like this, please do report it to the police and we will pursue it with the greatest importance.”
You can report crime by contacting police via 101 or their Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.