The convicted men Churches in Somerset and North Somerset were among those targeted by four men who were this week jailed for nationwide thefts of lead. The four defendants stripped tonnes of lead from a mixture of Grade 1 and Grade 2 churches between May 2018 and March 2020 - costing 36 churches a combined total of almost £2.1million. The four men were sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday, January 6.
Constantin Motescu, 32, of Stebbings, Sutton Hill, Telford, admitted 23 charges of theft.
Paul Buica, 25, of George Street, Birmingham, admitted 16 thefts.
Mihai Birtu, 24, of Port Street, Evesham, admitted 14 thefts.
Laurentiu Sucea, 38, of George Street, Birmingham, admitted 13 thefts.
Published:
2:09 PM January 8, 2021
Four men have been jailed for a combined 22 years 7 months for the theft of lead from churches.
- Credit: Archant
Four men have been jailed for a combined 22 years 7 months for the theft of lead from churches across the country - including two in Huntingdonshire villages.
The All Saints Churches in Brington and Offord Cluny were targeted by the group between May 2018 and March 2020.
Tonnes of lead was stripped from a mixture of Grade 1 and Grade 2 - costing 36 churches a combined total of almost £2.1m.
The amount the defendants would have made from scrapping the lead would have been much lower than the cost to the churches.
Gang who ransacked churches in £2m crime spree jailed for 22 years
Their targets included four churches in East Yorkshire
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Four prolific lead thieves who caused damage totalling £2.1m to historic churches have been jailed.