Serial shoplifter stole £1k worth of alcohol from Cambs supermarket before trying to flee country

A serial shoplifter who targeted a number of supermarkets across the UK was snared as he tried to flee the country.Alexandru Cercel, 39, was wanted by several police forces for stealing tens of thousands of pounds worth of alcohol. In one incident, Cercel, a Romanian national, entered a supermarket in Cambridge eight times in one day, stealing spirits worth more than GBP1,000. However, he also targeted supermarkets across the East of England, including stores in Kent, Suffolk[1], Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire[2].

The most recent theft was on June 13 this year when Cercel fleeced a Tesco[3] store in Maidstone, Kent, along with two cronies. They concealed eight bottles of spirits worth GBP300.

Cercel had been wanted by several police forces for offences carried out between October 2021 and June 2023.

Police enquiries established that Cercel tried to flee the country. He had booked a ferry from Dover to France on July 1 this year. His vehicle was located by police officers as he queued to board the ferry and he was arrested.

Cercel, who had been living in Dagenham, east London, pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court. He asked for a further 24 offences to be taken into consideration. He was convicted of stealing almost GBP6,000 of alcohol during a two-year crime spree and was jailed for two years.

PC Katie Blowers, of Kent Police's Crime Team, said: "When Cercel was arrested at the Port of Dover he claimed he had only been in the country two weeks on holiday, visiting family and friends, and was simply travelling back home to Romania. The reality was very different. He was part of an organised criminal gang which relentlessly targeted shops to steal as much high value alcohol as possible."

She added: "It is also likely that this case is the tip of an iceberg in terms of other possible offences involving Cercel."It is reassuring, therefore, to see the courts supporting the work we do to protect retailers by passing what is a significant custodial sentence.'

References

1. ^ Suffolk (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
2. ^ Cambridgeshire (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
3. ^ Tesco (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
4. ^ 'Arrogant' Cambs paedophile voyeur filmed child and woman (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
5. ^ Cambridge domestic abuser who subjected two women to "horrific" abuse simultaneously jailed (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)