A trio of robbers who orchestrated a high-value raid on a Sittingbourne mobile phone store have been convicted after stealing more than £50,000 worth of devices.
The incident unfolded on Thursday, 17 October 2024, when Ionut Calin, Dobre Vasile-Iosif, and Valentin Ciuraru entered a retail outlet within the town’s Forum Shopping Centre. After intimidating staff and demanding access to the store’s secure safe, the men fled in a waiting vehicle packed with stolen electronics.
The group’s escape was short-lived, however, as diligent staff managed to track one of the stolen handsets to Gillingham Park, located over 11 miles away. Police officers dispatched to the area discovered the three men emerging from bushes, where the discarded bags of stolen phones were also recovered. All three suspects were subsequently arrested and charged with robbery.
At Maidstone Crown Court on Monday, 9 March 2026, 23-year-old Ionut Calin was sentenced to two years and three months in prison after previously pleading guilty to the offence. His accomplices, 19-year-old Vasile-Iosif and 25-year-old Ciuraru, were found guilty in their absence after failing to appear for their scheduled trial. While Calin begins his custodial sentence, authorities have issued active warrants for the arrest of Vasile-Iosif and Ciuraru.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Scott Bittlestone said:
‘The staff at the store were put through a terrifying ordeal but thanks to their swift actions and the coordinated response from our officers, we were able to bring Calin to justice and recover thousands of pounds’ worth of stolen goods.’