Florin Adir, 21, Esmeralda Negut, 20, and Vasile Curti, 18, were spotted by police targeting customers in the city centre mall
Esmeralda Negut and Florin Adir(Image: WMP)
A gang of International thieves have been jailed for a string of pickpocketing offences in Birmingham city centre.
Florin Adir, 21, Esmeralda Negut, 20, and Vasile Curti, 18, were arrested by police investigating a series of thefts.
They caught the group red-handed as they targeted unsuspecting shoppers.
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CCTV showed the group following people around the city, working together to steal cash and mobile phones.
Two acted as lookouts while the third reached around victims to steal the items, West Midlands Police said.
Officers were reviewing footage of the group from the previous day when they spotted the group on live CCTV cameras at the Bullring on Friday, February 21.
City centre officers closed in as the group tried to steal from four people, running off when they saw the officers approaching.
Despite trying to escape, Adir, Negut, and Curti were caught and later charged with six theft offences, dating back to last November.
They admitted their crimes in court but claimed they were not “professional” pickpockets and only turned to crime out of desperation.
But police established they had several international convictions around Europe for pickpocketing.
Adir, from Wembley, north London, was sentenced to six months in prison at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court in April.
Curti, who was 17 at the time of the offences and also from Wembley, was handed a six-month youth referral order.
Negut, from Burton-on-Trent, was sentenced to 12 months in prison on Tuesday, June 17.
The group were ordered to pay more than £3,000 in compensation and victim surcharges for their crimes.
Speaking after the case, Pc Mat Evans said: “I hope this sentencing serves as a message to any pickpockets thinking of coming to Birmingham – whatever you do, don’t.
“We have one of the best teams in the country looking out for you, and we know the tactics you are using.”
“This is a reminder to all of us of how criminals operate, and how to protect ourselves and keep our belongings safe.”