Three individuals faced court for multiple thefts in County Durham, highlighting ongoing issues with shoplifting in the area
County Durham: Recently, three people found themselves in court over some shoplifting incidents. It all started with the Barnard Castle Neighbourhood Policing Team looking into the matter.
Emmanuel Ciurar, just 20 years old, was charged with three thefts. He showed up at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on January 7 and admitted to all the charges. The judge wasn’t too lenient, sentencing him to 36 weeks in prison and making him pay back the businesses he stole from.
He wasn’t alone, though. Marcel Rostas, Florica Covaci, and Gruti Lingurar were also in the same boat, facing charges from incidents that happened last October.
Rostas, who’s 37, pleaded guilty to stealing from Iceland in Bishop Auckland and ended up with a £400 fine. Covaci, 35, had two thefts from the same store and got fined £120.
As for Lingurar, he admitted to two thefts from both Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland. He also got caught driving without a license and without insurance. The 30-year-old was fined £40 and banned from driving for six months.
After everything wrapped up, Robert Booth from the Barnard Castle Neighbourhood Policing Team made it clear that theft really hurts local businesses. He emphasized that they’ll keep a close eye on anyone trying to mess with their community, even if it means looking beyond local borders.
