R&R Life News
Three charged with Redhill jewellery store break-in
10:40am Wednesday 22nd February 2012
Three people have appeared in court charged with offences connected to a series of burglaries at jewellery shops, including one in Redhill.
The three - George Stinga, 26, of Salisbury Road, Dagenham, Essex, and Adrian Ciobanu, 27, and Sigita Gasiliauskaite, 25, both of High Road, Wood Green, London – appeared at Guildford Magistrates Court last Thursday (February 16), jointly charged with conspiracy to burgle.
They were arrested last Wednesday (February 15) following early morning raids at addresses in London.
The charges relate to a series of early hours break-ins at jewellery shops in which sledgehammers were used to get in.
H Samuels in Redhill's Belfry shopping centre was broken into on December 9 last year, and the chain's stores in Bishops Stortford and Staines were raided on January 15 and January 22 respectively.
The trio have also been charged with an attempted burglary in Corby in Northamptonshire on December 19 last year.
All three have been remanded in custody to appear at Guildford Crown Court on March 1.
A Surrey Police spokesman said the arrests last week were part of Shield – the Force's initiative to protect the county's residents and businesses from cross-border criminals.
Detective Inspector Paul Rymarz of the Cross Border Investigation Team, said: “Travelling criminals pay no attention to county borders, so it is vital that we work with other forces to share intelligence and work together to build up a picture of their movements and offending.”
Det Insp Rymarz said: “Surrey’s proximity to high crime areas like London, combined with a reputation for wealth and accessible transport links, put us at greater risk from travelling criminality. “Through Shield, we will continue to target travelling offenders who blight our local communities in Surrey and those elsewhere.”
The break-in at Redhill's H Samuel store at about 3am on December 9 was the biggest smash and grab at the town's Belfry shopping centre in 20 years.
The raiders escaped with gold jewellery worth about £50,000.