Romanian Gang Steals Copper Cables, Causes Business Chaos

0:00On May 1st, a Romanian gang got busted, stealing copper cables in central Birmingham, posing as road workers in Orange Hive as jackets. On January 20th, 2026, just yards from a police station, three men cut seven cables with a power saw, messing up 7,000, 800 lines to businesses and government spots. All three, Marion Agarlita, 37, Soren Condrash, 45, and Aldefin Pointeru, 49, pleaded guilty to theft in each got three years. In jail. They set up plastic barriers to look legit, but alarms kicked off at a nearby BT office when they started slicing. An armed police unit rode up fast, caught two by their van while Agarlita hid in a manhole tunnel, fearing gas leaks or live wires, cops brought in a dog unit and he climbed out surrendering, the hit knocked out phone and internet for about 5,000 customers, plus fire and lift alarms and buildings, repairs ran nearly 97,000 pounds and still aren't

1:02fully done. Experts say one wrong cut could have wrecked critical services way worse. These guys had no prior records, Agarlita, a longtime UK plasterer, Condrash and online traders since 2021, Pointeru, a bar owner, and Grandad since 1999. Their lawyers stress remorse over this one off, but the judge hid hard on the business chaos it caused. Police called it slick, organized work, with zero care for the fallout, but quick response shut it down. Groups fighting metal theft warn these Eastern Europe linked crews are hitting infrastructure hard for scrap cash up to 10,000 pounds a night, and they're teaming up to stop it before more lines go dark.