The trial is being heard at Maidstone Crown Court

by Julia Roberts

A gang of Romanians allegedly stole expensive iPhones and charity collection boxes from shops and salons across Kent.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard three women used a variety of distraction techniques as they targetted hairdressers', tanning shops, a music store, an estate agents', a wedding shop and a branch of McDonald's during a three-week crime spree.

The gang is said to have travelled from their homes in Essex and carried out thefts in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Southborough, Pembury and Sittingbourne between October 12 and November 2 last year.

One alleged theft was of a collection box for Great Ormond Street Hospital from a hair salon in London Road, Southborough.

Other collection boxes, including one for the Poppy Appeal, were stolen in Sussex.

"the three females would enter these shops and seek to distract staff…” – olajide lanlehin, prosecuting

In the dock are Elana Stoian, 23, of Somerby Road, Barking, and 19-year-old Roger Sandhu, of King Edward Road, Barking.

It is alleged that Stoian was one of the three women in the gang while Sandhu acted as their driver in an Audi A6.

They both deny conspracy to steal mobile phones, charity collection boxes and two pairs of GHD hair straightners.

The jury was told the two other women allegedly involved have "absconded".

Olajide Lanlehin, prosecuting, said the gang were tracked by police through mobile phone analysis, automatic number plate recognition cameras and CCTV footage.

The shops and salons targetted included:

• Hair Workshop, London Road, Southborough;
• Adrian Clucas Hairdressing, St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells;
• Pembury Beauty Salon, High Street, Pembury;
• A Newu Sunhut tanning salon in West Street, Sittingbourne;
• The Tanning Rooms, South Park, Sevenoaks.

Mr Lanlehin told the court: "This case involves offences committed by four people of Romanian origin who enter shops or salons and cause some distraction to members of staff and in the course of causing that distraction and by working together, they steal mobile phones and, on occasions, charity boxes.

"The three females would enter these shops and seek to distract staff. The male member of the team, the Crown say Roger Sandhu, his role was to act as driver."

The trial continues.