Walthamstow pair jailed for 13 years over £130,000 jewellery burglaries

Two men from Walthamstow have been sentenced to a total of 13 years and 11 months in prison for their roles in a series of burglaries targeting empty homes across Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire. Marian Cercel, 53, of Mount Pleasant Road, and Ionut Craciun, 36, of Hatherley Road, were jailed at Cambridge Crown Court on 6 August 2026 after admitting conspiring to commit burglary with intent to steal.

Crime spree across two counties

The gang, which included at least one other unidentified man, carried out 27 burglaries or attempted burglaries between November 2025 and January 2026. They travelled from London to target properties they believed were unoccupied, focusing on stealing jewellery and cash while leaving other valuables behind.

Their first attempt on 12 November 2025 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, failed when the homeowner returned and interrupted the burglary. The gang then moved on to Peterborough, where they committed 16 offences, including a burglary on 29 November 2025 in Eastfield that netted jewellery worth £25,300.

The highest-value theft occurred on 19 December 2025 in central Peterborough, where the gang stole gold jewellery worth £72,000. Their final successful burglary took place on 2 January 2026 in Dogsthorpe, where they took jewellery valued at £25,000.

Sophisticated methods to evade detection

Detective Constable Megan Sims, who led the investigation, said the gang employed sophisticated tactics to avoid detection. They used multiple vehicles, insured under false details, and changed them regularly. Each member carried a Nokia 105 dual-SIM mobile phone, purchased in batches to coordinate the offences.

Police linked the men to the crimes using CCTV footage, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) data, phone records and forensic evidence from some of the burglary scenes. The investigation culminated on 7 January 2026 when officers stopped a Ford Mondeo connected to the gang in the Cambridge area. Gold rings stolen earlier that evening were found in the vehicle’s centre console.

What happens next

Both Cercel and Craciun admitted knowingly entering the UK in breach of deportation orders. They will face immigration proceedings after completing their prison sentences. Cambridgeshire Police have not confirmed whether any further arrests are expected in connection with the burglaries.

Victims of the burglaries have been informed of the sentencing. Police continue to urge anyone with information about unrecovered stolen items to contact them.