The six-strong gang 'grabbed' handsets from display tables before running out of the store
A gang stole more than £10,000 worth of iPhones from the Apple store in Cardiff during a “smash-and-grab” raid, a court heard.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the incident occurred in St David’s shopping centre around 6.15pm on Friday, February 17.
In his sentencing remarks Recorder Gregory Treverton-Jones QC said: “This was a smash-and-grab raid by this gang.”
Prosecutors said six men travelled from London for the raid targeting the Apple Store but only one was caught – Florin Moise.
Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said a member of staff saw the men enter the store together and heard the security alarms go off about 30 seconds later.
The court heard the men were seen “grabbing” iPhones from display tables and running off.
Mr Gobir said the defendant was caught by a security guard and police officer and found to be carrying four iPhones worth about £3,000.
Moise was arrested and immediately admitted the offence.
He told officers he had met the other men in a Paddy Power betting shop and they had asked him if he wanted to make some money.
The defendant said he had travelled to Cardiff from London with the men and accepted entering the Apple store, grabbing the iPhones, and running away.
Moise told police he had intended to hand the phones over to the men and was expecting to make about £400 in cash.
Prosecutors said 14 phones worth a total of £10,626 were stolen. Four were recovered from the defendant including one with more than £800 worth of damage.
The court heard Moise was convicted in January 2015 of stealing a mobile phone and was committed to prison for four weeks, suspended for a year.
But that sentence was activated just days later following another theft offence.
Prosecutors said Moise had a further conviction for theft after stealing items from the Apple Store at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol in April last year.
The court heard he also had convictions from France and Spain.
Moise, 20, from Cavendish Gardens in Barking, London, admitted joint theft from a shop.
Jon Lewis, defending, said his client was born in Romania and moved to the UK with his family in 1998 when he was two.
He said Moise was not educated and started working as a labourer as soon as he could.
The court heard he has recently worked as a painter and decorator, earning £40 a day, to support his long-term partner and their three young children.
Mr Lewis said: “He works extremely hard but a year ago he became addicted to roulette machines.”
He said on the day of the incident Moise had put all his wages into a gambling machine and lost them.
The court heard he did not want to tell his family about his gambling addiction so when he met the gang in the betting shop decided to join them in the theft.
Mr Lewis stressed his client made “full and frank admissions” and has not used a gambling machine since.
Addressing the defendant, Recorder Treverton-Jones said: “You all grabbed as many mobile phones as you could get your hands on.”
He noted Moise had a “bad criminal record” and had previously targeted Apple products.
The judge said he was satisfied there was planning and premeditation and described the offending as “very serious”.
He noted none of the other men involved were arrested but said they would all have been equally responsible.
Moise was sentenced to 12 months in a young offender institution.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/gang-stole-10000-iphones-smash-12809513
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