Teenager sentenced for burglary on elderly man's home in Ipswich

Moise Sandu, aged 19, of Spencer Place in Leeds appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday (1st May), where he pleaded guilty to burglary.

 

Sandu denied the original charge of robbery, but admitted the offence of burglary and was sentenced to 11 months detention in a young offender institution.

 

At some time between 11pm and 11.30pm on Wednesday 22nd  August, a group of males knocked at the door of the 81-year-old victim's property in the Handford Road area. Believing it may be workmen who had been dealing with a gas leak in the area earlier that day, he opened the door to them.

 

Quickly realising they were not who he thought, he attempted to close the door but the suspects forced their way inside.

 

Two of the suspects then searched every room in the house while another one sat with him. One of the suspects then came out of the kitchen with a knife belonging to the victim. This had a protective sheath on it and was held against the victim's neck.

 

Two of the offenders then walked the victim to a cashpoint at Sainsbury's on Hadleigh Road to withdraw the cash for them. They were at the cash machine between 12.30am and 12.40am.

 

The offenders then walked the victim back to his house, when on their return another five males were inside the property. Sandu admitted being one of the people present when the group returned from the cashpoint and smoking some of the victim's tobacco, but denied being part of the original robbery.

 

£100 was taken from the victim's pocket by one of the suspects and his mobile phone was also taken along with the tobacco, before they all left at around 1am. 

The victim was left very shaken by this incident, but was otherwise unharmed.

 

Sandu is the second person to be convicted in connection with the crime, with the first admitting his part in the offence last October.

Ticu Bahica, aged 18, of Reavell Place in Ipswich, was sentenced to five years' detention in a young offender institution, after pleading guilty to the robbery at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday 4th October. 

Bahica was arrested by police three days after the incident on Saturday 25th August and charged later the same day.

 

Detective Inspector Holly Evans, of South CID in Ipswich, told Heart:

 

 "This whole incident was extremely distressing for the victim and utterly cowardly on the part of the offenders.

 

Moise Sandu may not have been part of the group that initially entered the victim's home and robbed him, but he was certainly present when they returned from the cashpoint and stole some of his property. He had no right to be in that house and he and the others involved should be ashamed of themselves.

 

I am still struggling to comprehend what possesses a large group of young males to subject an 81-year-old man to an ordeal such as this. It is indefensible and will not be tolerated.

 

I am pleased that we have now brought two of the offenders to justice, but there are still a number of people yet to be identified for their role in this incident, and we are continuing our efforts to find out who they are and put them before the courts as well."

 

Officers are appealing for anyone who was in the area of Handford Road, London Road or Sainsbury's in Hadleigh Road, between 11pm on Wednesday 22nd  August and 1am on Thursday 23rd August to make contact. This includes anyone driving along those roads who have dash cams fitted in their vehicle.