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25
Mar
Prolific ‘choc-lifters’ who targeted Harrogate supermarkets sentenced
Two prolific shoplifters have been given suspended sentences after stealing almost £5,000 worth of chocolate from shops across the country.
Romanian nationals, Vasile Leonard Ionescu, 26, of Spring Road, Ipswich and Daniel Florin Mihai, 29, of no fixed address, particularly targeted supermarkets in Harrogate.
They pleaded guilty to 18 counts of theft and 10 counts of theft respectively. Both pleaded guilty to one count of attempted theft each.
You can read more on which stores they targeted here.
The pair appeared at York Magistrates’ Court Today (March 25) where they were each given eight-month jail sentences suspended for two years.
They were both issued with a rehabilitation activity requirement and a two-year criminal behaviour order preventing them from entering a Tesco, Sainsbury's or Co-Op store anywhere in the UK.
In addition, Ionescu must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and Mihai must carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.
North Yorkshire Police led the investigation following multiple reports of shop theft in late 2025 and early 2026, mainly in the Harrogate area. However, the investigation also took into account thefts committed in other areas of the country including Kent, Surrey, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and West Yorkshire.
The pair brazenly walked into supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsbury’s and stole hundreds of pounds worth of mainly chocolate products.
In total they stole £4,917.99 worth of goods with the highest amount during any one theft being £670 worth of Lindt, Galaxy and Cadbury chocolate stolen from Sainsbury’s in Malton.
Following the development of intelligence reports linked to the series of offences, the defendants were arrested by North Yorkshire Police’s Road Policing Group on 3 March 2026 as they travelled along the A1(M) heading towards Dishforth.
The investigator who led the case, police staff investigator Jamie Brownhill, said:
Shoplifting costs our economy millions of pounds and that loss not only impacts on local businesses and local town, the cost passes on to law-abiding members of the public.
This case demonstrates the value of swift reporting, strong partnership working, and determined investigative work.
In this case offenders travelled into North Yorkshire specifically to commit crime, and we want to make it absolutely clear that this behaviour will be met with firm and decisive action. Those who come here to target our towns and businesses should expect to be identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
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