Sledgehammer gang jailed over Shrewsbury pub raid

The five-strong gang got away with hundreds of pounds and bottles of alcohol. But police tracked their getaway car and stopped it with a stinger on the M54.

Three were arrested and were sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Judge Peter Barrie said: “You were part of a gang of five men who drove out from Birmingham equipped with a sledgehammer, a pickaxe and crowbar.

“You went to a pub in Shrewsbury and, wearing hoods and scarves, you broke in.

“It matters not what part each of you played, you are all responsible for what happened.”

Ionut Parlapan, 22, of Foxwell Road, Birmingham; Traian-florin Paun, 20, of Washwood Heath Road, Birmingham, and Titu Oprea, 42, of Washwood Heath, admitted the burglary of the Toby Carvery on Welshpool Road, Shrewsbury, on February 26.

Oprea was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment, Paun was sentenced to 16 months detention in a young offenders’ institute and Parlapan 16 months imprisonment.

Joanne Barker, prosecuting, said the restaurant manager locked up and went upstairs. At about 2.10am he heard the alarm sounding and the noise of smashing in the restaurant below.

He phoned the police and saw five men getting into a car.

Miss Barker said about £700 was stolen mainly from the fruit machines and several bottles of alcohol taken, while about £5,000 of damage was caused.

Police tracked the car to the M54 and it was stopped by a stinger.

“Five people ran from the car and after a brief chase involving police dogs and a helicopter, the three defendants were detained,” she added.

Mr Brendan Reedy for Parlapan and Paun said his clients had no previous convictions and had only recently moved to Britain from Romania. They had not realised why there were going to Shrewsbury.

“They would like the chance to remain in the country,” he said.

The court was told that Oprea had previous convictions both in Romania and Spain.