Three men admit London jewellery shop tunnel plot

Three men have admitted to conspiracy to commit burglary after being apprehended by Metropolitan Police officers during an attempted heist in south London. The group is connected to a series of burglaries across the capital valued at over £700,000.

The attempted burglary took place on Mitcham Road, Tooting, at 3:12 AM on Friday, 17 July. Emergency response officers arrived at the scene within minutes of reports of a suspected break-in. One man, Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara, was arrested in a nearby alleyway. A second man, Ioan Asafeti, was found hiding on a rooftop and taken into custody.

Officers discovered the pair had broken into a massage parlour and were using it as a base to tunnel into the adjacent jewellery shop. Tools and equipment used for digging were found at the premises. A third member of the group, Sergiu Plastin, was arrested later the same day at Stansted Airport as he attempted to leave the country.

Investigation links group to wider criminal activity

The Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad led an investigation that linked the three men to multiple burglaries targeting jewellers across London between May and July. The group employed tunnelling techniques to bypass security systems and gain access to shops during overnight hours.

Detective Superintendent Dan Mitchell of the Met’s Flying Squad stated that the arrests prevented the specific burglary and were part of a larger operation uncovering an organised crime group responsible for numerous jewellery shop break-ins. He added that commercial burglaries in London have decreased by 12 per cent over the past year.

Ioan Asafeti, 39, Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara, 38, and Sergiu Plastin, 42, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary with intent to steal and cause criminal damage at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 21 August. Asafeti and Nitisoara are recorded as having no fixed address, while Plastin is listed as residing in Portadown, Craigavon.

Further inquiries, including the use of mobile phone data and CCTV footage showing the acquisition of tools, helped identify and track down the suspects. Interpol investigations suggested potential links to similar offences in Europe.

Sentencing and next steps

The sentencing for Ioan Asafeti, Laurentiu-Daniel Nitisoara, and Sergiu Plastin is scheduled for Friday, 23 October, at Kingston Crown Court. The Metropolitan Police stated their ongoing commitment to tackling burglary and enhancing public safety across the capital.