A duo who stole £20,000 worth of mobile phones were arrested by Wiltshire Police officers in 20 minutes – thanks to GPS-tracked decoy devices.
Cousins Becam Radu, 21, and Emanuel Radu, 19, threatened staff in Vodafone, Marlborough, before making their getaway with the entire store’s stock.
But the thieves took several dummy phones – which were GPS tracked and allowed police to locate and detain them on the A338 near Hungerford following a short pursuit.
The incident took place on the afternoon of 12 December 2024.
Both were arrested on suspicion of robbery, and Emanuel was further arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.
They pleaded guilty to the offences at Swindon Crown Court, and were jailed today (Friday).
Emanuel, of Nash Road, Edmonton, was sentenced to two years and 10 months in a young offender institution, while Becam, of Orchard Road, Enfield, was sentenced to 28 months in a young offender institution.
One shop worker said the fear he felt was “incredibly hard to describe”.
Adding: “I have been in some situations which have scared me in the past but that was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me in my whole 22 years of life.
“The incident has not left me almost three months on. The impact has been huge from a physiological point of view and is not something that I ever see going away.
“The behaviour of these two individuals is absolutely disgraceful.”
Detective Constable Michael Land, from Wiltshire’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “Thankfully, no one was physically harmed during Becam and Emanuel Radu’s brazen thievery.
“I would like to commend all the victims and witnesses who were involved in this traumatic experience, particularly the shop workers whose quick thinking protected their customers and enabled us to swiftly apprehend both men.
“This result demonstrates that Wiltshire is a hostile place for London-based criminals and robust action will be taken to protect our communities.”
