The crime was committed after Vasile Boldamir, one of the trio of Romanian defendants living legally in the UK, found work, under a false name, in the warehouse at the DPD depot at Belmont Industrial Estate, on the outskirts of Durham.
On successive days in December packages sorted for delivery from the premises were taken and passed on to accomplices in a car parked near to the depot.
Durham Crown Court heard that in some cases the stolen device was replaced by a toy phone in the package ready for delivery.
Cainan Lonsdale, prosecuting, said on both days the offences were committed early in the morning when the delivery drivers at the depot were preparing their vans to go out on rounds.
An operations manager, who was working from 6.30am, noticed by 10.30am on December 11, that a number of high value items had not been sent out for delivery.
A number of parcels were found in one van under the false name given by Vasile Bolmadir.
The items had been taken from parcels and replaced with toy phones.
Checking CCTV, the manager could see the same male handing over items from a rucksack to a man in a Renault Megane parked about 100-metres from the depot.
Further checks showed all three individuals seen on the earlier footage together on the DPD site.
Due to events of December 11, Mr Lonsdale said staff were warned to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious activity.
The following day the operations manager encountered another Romanian male, in his 30s, using the same alias name at the site.
He claimed he was working for someone called ‘Mark’, in a similar ploy used by the person the previous day.
Asked where ‘Mark’ was, he said he was taking a private call in the Megane, in a nearby car park.
The man was followed as he approached the vehicle and he was heard to shout: “Go, go, go.”
Mr Lonsdale said at this instruction the Megane began to drive off and the man using the alias, by now being pursued by DPD staff, ran over and got into the back seat of the car.
It was driven off in the direction of the A1(M), but the manager managed to make note of most of its registration.
The same Megane was stopped by police on the A1(M), with Ionut Bolmadir found in the driver’s seat, Vasile Bolmadir in the rear seat and Stroiu in the front passenger seat.
Stroiu had an iPhone and four sim cards on him, and phones, one still in its case, were recovered from the other two defendants.
Vasile Bolmadir made no comment to police questions, Stroiu claimed he travelled to Durham with Vasile to have a job interview and Ionut Bolmadir merely said he was the driver.
Mr Lonsdale said only Vasile Bolmadir has any previous convictions recorded on the Police National Computer.
He was said to have eight convictions for 17 offences, including cases of dishonesty.
In his Probation Service report, Vasile Bolmadir revealed he undertook employment in the depot warehouse, having used the alias name.
She, therefore, imposed a six-month prison sentence on Vasile Bolmadir, suspended for 24 months, during which time he must take part in 40 rehabilitation activity sessions with the Probation Service and complete 150 hours’ unpaid work.
He will also be subject of a four-month tagged trail monitoring requirement to keep tracks on his movements.
Stroiu and Ionut Boldamir were both given 12-month community orders with 100-hours’ unpaid work.
Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here
Electrical items were taken in two burglaries at Durham DPD depot
DPD driver stole phones worth £12,000 from delivery packages
Delivery firm DPD signs up for site at Newton Aycliffe
Ionut Boldamir must also take part in six rehabilitation sessions with the Probation Service.
She said the outcome meant the two defendants who have remained in custody throughout proceedings would be released from prison almost immediately.
The judge warned all three to co-operate with the Probation Service and complete the unpair work and other requirements, or risk returning to prison.
