Suit-wearing Romanian immigrant who went on £600 shoplifting spree in a former mill town claimed he was only there to look for work as a SHEPHERD

  • Marian Anghel caught stealing £600 worth of goods from Morrisons store
  • 59-year-old stole alcohol, straighteners and toilet roll while wearing a suit
  • Later claimed to police he had been in small town to find work as shepherd
  • He said he had left his 'shepherd's clothes' at Leeds home 70 miles away

By Emma Glanfield for MailOnline

Published: 07:03 EDT, 21 May 2015 | Updated: 10:32 EDT, 21 May 2015

Marian Anghel, 59 (pictured outside court), stole £600 worth of goods from Morrisons in Nelson, Lancashire before claiming he had travelled 70 miles to the small town to find work as a shepherd

Marian Anghel, 59 (pictured outside court), stole £600 worth of goods from Morrisons in Nelson, Lancashire before claiming he had travelled 70 miles to the small town to find work as a shepherd

A Romanian immigrant who went on a £600 shoplifting spree in a former mill town while wearing a smart suit later claimed he was in the area to look for work as a shepherd.

Marian Anghel, 59, was caught stealing hundreds of pounds worth of goods including alcohol, hair straighteners, toilet roll and washing powder from Morrisons in Nelson, Lancashire earlier this month.

However, instead of admitting theft when he was arrested, he claimed he had been in the area looking for work as a shepherd and had left his 'shepherd's clothes' at the home he shared with a woman 70 miles away in Leeds.

Prosecutors at Burnley Magistrates' Court yesterday said it seemed 'remarkable' that he would have travelled to the built-up former cotton town in an attempt to land a job rounding up sheep.

Philip Potter, prosecuting, said Anghel arrived into Nelson by taxi on May 11 and told police when questioned that he had been looking for work as a shepherd.

The court heard how Anghel spent £45 on his taxi fare to the town and was approached by two Romanian men outside the Morrisons store who offered him £50 to push a trolley round the store while they filled it.

They would then leave him to exit the store without paying for the goods and meet him outside, the court heard.

Anghel said he accepted the offer because he had been desperate for money, but later admitted it was a stupid decision.

He was caught by security guards strolling through the shop exit pushing a trolley which contained the haul of goods – including 10 bottles of Jack Daniels and 13 bottles of cognac.

It was while being detained by police that he claimed he was in the area to find work rounding up sheep.

Mr Potter said: 'He was asked, if it was the case he was looking for work as a shepherd, why he was wearing a suit and he said that he had left his shepherd's clothes in Leeds.

'This was a pre-planned shoplifting. He agreed with two others that he would enter the store with the sole intention of stealing.

'It seems remarkable that a man who lives in Leeds would come on a whim to Nelson town centre ostensibly looking to obtain work as a shepherd, then coincidentally meet two other men of Romanian origin who seem to be able to recognise him as being Romanian himself and presumably anticipate he is in dire financial need because they offer him money to assist them shoplifting.

'I am sure that the fanciful nature of the explanation given is the reason why it was rejected by your lay colleagues.

'The logical conclusion is he travelled to Nelson with two other men for the sole purpose of high value shoplifting, particularly targeting high value spirits.'

Anghel claims he can remember nothing about the other two men other than that they were wearing jackets and jeans. Neither were apprehended following the shoplifting incident.

Anghel loaded up a trolley with hundreds of pounds worth of goods including alcohol, hair straighteners, toilet roll and washing powder before attempting to leave Morrisons (pictured) in Nelson without paying

Anghel loaded up a trolley with hundreds of pounds worth of goods including alcohol, hair straighteners, toilet roll and washing powder before attempting to leave Morrisons (pictured) in Nelson without paying

Imran Majid, defending, said the two other men - seen on CCTV loading up the trolley - were a lot more sophisticated than Anghel.

He told the court: 'He's been used as a scapegoat. Clearly, he didn't land a job as a shepherd.'

Anghel, who claims to be financially supported by a Romanian woman named Katrina, admitted theft and received a community order with an 18-week curfew, meaning he must stay indoors between 7.30pm and 6am.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs, a £180 criminal court charge and a £60 victim surcharge.

The court heard how Anghel moved to the UK six months ago using freedom of movement laws which demand immigrants 'actively look for work.'

Police had earlier served the Romanian with a deportation certificate but deputy district judge Alan Jones said he would not be recommending that Anghel be deported.

Sentencing him, Judge Jones: 'I believe there was a relatively high level of pre-planning, you did know what you were doing and that high level goods were being targeted. The total value you were instrumental in stealing was very significant.

'I do accept the two other men were likely to have been more involved in the planning than you and that you were the one that took the risk of being caught. It's a shame that the other two men weren't apprehended as well.'

Burnley Magistrates' Court heard that it was 'remarkable' that Anghel, a Romanian immigrant, had claimed to police that he was looking for work as a shepherd in the former cotton town of Nelson, Lancashire (pictured)

Burnley Magistrates' Court heard that it was 'remarkable' that Anghel, a Romanian immigrant, had claimed to police that he was looking for work as a shepherd in the former cotton town of Nelson, Lancashire (pictured)

Foreign nationals from European Economic Area (EEA) countries are free from deportation under the UK Borders Act 2007 - but can still be deported under the Immigration Act 1971 if they have been jailed for two years or more.

After the case, UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall said: 'It is incredibly difficult to deport any criminals if they are from another EU country. 

'However ridiculous his claim is that he is looking for work as a shepherd, we have to abide by the rules that if he says he is looking for work we can't get rid of him.

'If anyone thinks like me, it is ridiculous we can't deport someone that has come here, never done a day's work, only ever committed crime here yet is still entitled to free treatment on the NHS, they should perhaps take the issue up with their newly elected pro-EU Member of Parliament.'

 

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