Leeds group jailed for over 26 years for targeting elderly in fake doctor scam
Two men and two women from Leeds have been jailed for over 26 years in total for a series of burglaries in North and East Yorkshire.
The group, comprising Levantica Dragusin, 30, of Edgware Street, Harehills, and Monika Dumitra, 24, Ion Paun, 29, and Zavaian Paun, 32, all of Edgware Place, Harehills, stole from older and vulnerable people in their 80s and 90s, taking advantage of their trust.
They committed their crimes by traveling together by car, with Dragusin and Ion Paun acting as drivers. The men would drop Dumitra and Zavaian Paun at targeted locations, where the women, dressed in NHS-style clothing, called at the homes of older people, posed as trainee doctors, and requested sponsorship for a fictitious medical school.
Once inside their homes, one of the women would “use the toilet”, while the other distracted the victim. Instead of using the toilet, they would search the house for cash and valuables before leaving with their stolen haul, with the two men picking them up and driving them to their next victim.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Sam Rivers of Scarborough CID, said: “This type of crime is one of the most disgusting crimes I have investigated, preying on the kind-heartedness of older, trusting people in a bid to steal their most valuable assets, many of which hold more sentimental value than monetary value, often memories of loves ones.
“Because of these disgraceful people, many victims have been left with a void they cannot fill, or they have lost a valuable family heirloom that will now never be passed down to the next generation.
On May 22, the group travelled to Harrogate, where they stole cash and jewellery from an 85-year-old woman. They then continued to York, where they targeted a man in his 90s using the same technique.
The following day, they went to Scarborough, where their next victim was an 87-year-old woman. However, a neighbour spotted the two women and suspected something was wrong.
After seeing them enter the property, the man knocked on the door and challenged the pair, asking them for identification. The pair fled the scene empty-handed.
The group then continued to Bridlington, where their next victim was an 89-year-old woman. However, North Yorkshire Police had been called following the incident in Scarborough, and police were able to track the group’s vehicle to East Yorkshire, where Humberside Police intercepted their car.
All four members of the group, as well as jewellery and stolen items from the Bridlington burglary, were still in the car when police stopped it.
The group have all been remanded in custody since they were charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in May. They all pleaded guilty after facing overwhelming evidence of their crimes.
Detective Constable Sam Rivers added: “This type of crime has a devastating impact on older people and many find it difficult to recover from. I really hope these sentences today imposed by the courts can give some peace and closure to the victims who have lost out as a consequence of these deplorable individuals who should hang their heads in shame.
“My thanks go to the neighbour of our Scarborough victim for his vigilance and community spirit when he realised something was not quite right after seeing the defendants calling at his neighbour’s home. His quick actions have stopped them in their tracks and ultimately led to their subsequent arrests. I am very grateful to him.”
The gang was jailed at York Crown Court on August 22, with all four members handed six years and two months each for conspiracy to burgle. Levantica Dragusin received a further 10 months for a separate burglary.