Seven Arrested After High Value Metal Theft

Seven men have been arrested in connection with a high value metal theft in Sittingbourne in the early hours of Sunday (14th January) morning.

Officers were alerted to a report of a burglary in the Castle Road area at around 5.24am. Two vehicles, a van and a car, were witnessed leaving the area and were later stopped on the M2 near Gillingham and four people were arrested.

A quantity of metal was found in the rear of the van by officers from Kent Police's Roads Policing Unit.

Following further enquiries, officers searched a home in London and arrested three more people in connection with the incident.

Four of the seven have since been charged with burglary: Ionel Murui, 28, Costinel Tanase, 29, Vader Tanase, 31, all of Revell Rise in Plumstead, London SE18 and Florin Iliuta, 27, of no fixed abode.

All four were remanded in custody to appear at Medway Magistrates Court today (Monday 15th January).

The remaining three, a 22-year-old and a 21-year-old from Plumstead and a 21-year-old of no fixed abode, remain in police custody.