Romanian migrant caught shoplifting and locked up just three days after arriving in Britain

A ROMANIAN migrant who arrived in Britain on Friday was banged up just three days later after going shoplifting.

Leonard-Valter Tudor, 20, went shoplifting in a branch of TK Maxx in Nottingham the day after he arrived in the country.

He took a foil-lined bag into the store thinking it would fool the security screens but was caught outside on June 8 while another man managed to flee, Nottingham magistrates’ court heard.

Sanjay Jerath, prosecuting, said: “In interview, the defendant said he landed in the country the day before. He went to an address in Doncaster intending to find some work.

“He was approached by another Romanian man he doesn’t know. There was the suggestion of employment in Nottingham of taking items from a shop and accepts he was opening bags and taking items.

“He had a foil lined bag and takes full responsibility for his action.”

Tudor admitted theft of accessories worth £508 and having the foil-lined bag, the Nottingham Post reports.

Judge Leo Pyle sentenced Tudor to 16 weeks in a young offenders’ institution and ordered him to pay a government surcharge of £115.

Judge Pyle said: “The sentence should be a deterrent in your particular case.”

Defending Tudor, Neil O’Sullivan said Tudor had become a dad for the first time just a fortnight ago.

He said: “Simply the promise of money led him to commit these offences. As one can imagine, he had no income whatsoever as he only landed on Friday.

“He was detained straight away by security staff. All the items were recovered.

“This was an enterprise he entered into with some reluctance, it is fair to say. In some ways, it was borne out of necessity.”

Mr O’Sullivan said Tudor had admitted the offences immediately and planned to return to South Yorkshire if released.

He added: “He tells me the prospect of work is a genuine one and is aimed simply to provide for his family in future.”