Police chase shoplifter who stole £1,400 worth of Home Bargains and Aldi goods

Watch as police chase shoplifter Florin Cristea in a black Vauxhall Meriva on the A1

A shoplifter stole more than £1,400 of goods from Home Bargains and Aldi - then led police on a 100mph car chase that ended in another county.

Florin Cristea stole nearly £600 of Home Bargain items - including loo rolls, nappies and washing detergent - packing them in his car before driving out of the store in Cambourne in Cambridgeshire in May.

The 28-year-old's car was reported to police and was then spotted by road officers on the northbound A1 near Brampton.

Police signalled for his Vauxhall Meriva to stop, but Cristea accelerated, reaching speeds of 105mph as he raced past villages and towns.

At one point, in a 40mph section, he was zooming at 80mph, undertaking other drivers.

After a 30-minute chase with the police, Cristea suddenly braked hard and swerved into a lay-by near Tickenvote, outside of the Cambridgeshire border in the East Midlands.

Nearly £600 worth of Home Bargain items were found stuffed in shoplifter Florin Cristea's car. Credit: Cambridgeshire Police

Further enquiries found Cristea had also stolen from Aldi in Chatteris on April 1 - filling a trolley with £876-worth of washing detergent, toothpaste and coffee.

The 28-year-old, of Northfield Road in Peterborough, was jailed for one year and four months.

He pleaded guilty to both shoplifting incidents, dangerous driving, and driving while disqualified and with no insurance.

Investigating officer PC Steve Robinson said: “If Cristea had actually stopped when asked, he could have avoided a dangerous driving charge. Instead, he chose put innocent drivers at risk before he was arrested and brought to justice.”

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