Man stole lead from churches in crime spree which caused £460,000 in damage
Date of alert:
Sunday, 26 March 2023
Crime Ref:
Force:
Leicestershire Police
A man stole lead from Leicestershire churches as part of a raid that targeted buildings around the Midlands. Madalin Gabriel Prundaru was found guilty this week for the thefts which spanned four months.
Prundaru, of Ilford, in London, was a member of a gang whose crime spree started in May 2016 and saw them target churches across the Midlands, with three hit in Leicestershire. These were St Mary's at Wyfordby and St Mary's at Garthorpe, both near Melton, while All Saints Church in Beeby, near Harborough, was also stripped of its lead.
Two churches in neighbouring Rutland were also hit by the 26-year-old and the gang. St Mary's at Manton and St Edmund's at Egleton were among 15 churches they ultimately went on to steal from, with their actions causing damage worth £461,000.
