Anna (left) and Diana Rostas deny involvement in the pickpocketing plot

Six members of the same Romanian family targeted sleeping commuters in a lucrative late-night pickpocketing spree, a court heard.

They swept through trains between Gravesend and London, stealing mobile phones and cash from dozens of exhausted or tipsy victims as they dozed or listened to iPods after a night out in London, jurors were told.

The thieves sold the phones for a profit and used the sims to make long-distance calls to their homeland, it is claimed.

Many of the victims were making their way home after a night out, travelling on trains between Charing Cross in central London and Gravesend, where the Rostas family live, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.

Robert Rostas, 23, of Norfolk Road, Gravesend, is not before the jury because he has admitted conspiracy to steal, while Marin and Romulous, of the same address, deny the charge.

Anna Rostas, 23, her 22-year-old husband Cornell, of Springhead Road, Gravesend, and the brothers' aunt Diana, 27, of Norfolk Road, Gravesend, also deny involvement in the plot spanning January 2009 to August 2011.

A teenager, who cannot be named, also denies the charge.

David Hewitt, prosecuting, said: "This case, the Crown say, is about a team of people, these defendants and others as well, who over a significant period of time, some two-and-a-half years, operated on the London to Gravesend line.

"They stole a significant number of mobile phones which they then sold on and used the sim cards from the stolen phones.

"The Crown say it was a well-organised operation carried out professionally, that they targeted vulnerable people travelling late at night.

"Over 40 victims have been identified. You will hear from a small number of these.

"'Much of what they say isn't in dispute: 'I was on this train, it was late at night, I had been drinking, I woke up, I'd missed my stop, I didn't have my phone.'

"The Crown say that all of these defendants played a part to a greater or lesser extent in that venture.

"They happen to originate from Romania, but have lived in the UK for varying lengths of time."

The prosecutor said one Manchester-based family member who has not been arrested, was believed to be in Romania in August last year 'selling mobile phones'.

Suspects were arrested in a swoop at two Gravesend addresses, home to two branches of the Rostas family, on August 16.

A 'significant number' of phones and sims were seized, primarily from Norfolk Road.

Officers have viewed more than 50 days' CCTV to gather evidence of suspects' movements.

"it was a well-organised operation carried out professionally... they targeted vulnerable people travelling late at night…” – david hewitt, prosecuting

Footage shows family members entering rail stations late at night and into the early hours, though there is none of the thefts themselves.

The gang routinely boarded at the back of their chosen trains, jurors heard.

Mr Hewitt said: "The reason they get on at the rear is so they can sweep it.

"People who are asleep, who might have phones on them, or in their hands with earphones, listening to music."

On August 7, 2010, plainclothes police allegedly caught brothers Romulous, 18, and 25-year-old Marin, closing in on one 'slumped' young woman.

The barrister said: "The officer says that they were both paying particular attention to passengers who in the main were asleep, possibly because they had been socialising or celebrating or the like.

"Romulous was seen to sit next to a lone female passenger, who appeared to be slumped on her side, appeared to have been drinking.

"There were other available seats in the carriage. He chose these. The woman had a bag with her. It was open on the seat next to her.

"At that point Romulous was seen to lean forward across her as if about to do something.

"The plainclothes officer intervened. Both he and Marin were spoken to by officers."

The trial continues.