Merseyside men who stole almost £100,000 worth of mobile phones jailed

Three men who raided mobile phone shops across the North West in the summer have been jailed for a combined total of 9 years.

Between Saturday 31 August and Tuesday 3 September 2019 Viorel Zlat, Dragos Stan and Alim Batista broke into nine mobile phone shops and stole almost £100,000 worth of mobile phones.

The group, who all lived on Borough Road in Oxton, targeted stores in Northwich, Macclesfield, Sale, Denton, Bradford, Prescott and Bolton.

Cheshire Police said that they were able to identify the group after spotting Zlat's vehicle at each break-in.

Officers say they also recovered forensic evidence, and cell site data which placed the group at all but one of the incidents.

Following the discovery officers raided their home in Wirral where they recovered the red axe along with distinctive clothing worn by the group during their crime spree.

All three men pleaded guilty to nine counts of burglary.

The ringleader, Zlat, was jailed for three years 10 months while Batista and Stan were both sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Detective Sergeant Simon Parker, from Cheshire Police, said: "I welcome the sentences handed to this group and I hope that they act as a warning to other offenders who are thinking of coming to Cheshire to commit crime."