Three men, who stole £200,000 from railway station ticket vending machines during a seven-week crime-spree, have been jailed.

Florin Loghin, Alexandru Nistor and Sebastian Lupu stole, or attempted to steal, from 42 machines across the home counties and the capital, including stations in west London.

Loghin, 24, was found guilty of conspiring with the others to steal and was sentenced to three years in jail at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday (November 23).

Lupu, 21, and Nistor, 22, both admitted conspiring to steal charges and were jailed earlier this year for 14 months and 30 months respectively.

The three men were responsible for 42 separate offences over a seven-week period at railway stations in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and numerous London boroughs.

British Transport Police (BTP) said the total value of the thefts and damage was around £200,000.

Florin Loghin was arrested while trying to leave the country

Their crime spree started on March 31 at Wembley Stadium station, and also saw them strike at Kensal Rise, Imperial Wharf and Kew Bridge in west London.

Loghin, of no fixed abode, Nistor, of Moulton Rise, Luton, and Lupu, of Hibbert Street, Luton, entered locked railway stations via the tracks wearing balaclavas and Halloween face masks when it was dark and targeted the machines using crow bars.

Alexandru Nistor was arrested with Lupu on their way to commit their 43rd offence

Following an investigation by BTP, the men were identified, arrested and charged for the crimes, which happened between March 31 and June 7.

Loghin was arrested at Luton Airport on May 18 as he was attempting to flee the country, while Nistor and Lupu were arrested on the M25 while making their way to a 43rd offence.

Sebastian Lupu was jailed for 14 months

Detective Constable Dean Percival said: “This was long investigation which required us to go through hours and hours of CCTV.

"Thankfully, we caught them but not before they caused hundreds and thousands of pounds worth of damage.

“We are fortunate the railway network is a CCTV rich environment and that should serve as a reminder to any other criminals who think it is okay to break into stations to steal and cause damage, that they will be caught.”

Note: British Transport Police various spelled Sebastian Lupu's name as "Lupu" and "Lupa". Get West London has approached BTP for clarification.

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