Two burglary gang members have been jailed for stealing jewellery worth thousands of pounds from homes across Peterborough.

Police say that Marian Cercel (53), and Ionut Craciun (36), were part of a London-based gang that frequently travelled into Peterborough to carry out a spate of high value raids at a number of homes.

Cambridgeshire police say the men, who were both in the UK in breach of a deportation order, stole jewellery worth £25,300 from a property in Eastfield, Peterborough, on November 29.

Police say they returned to the city on December 19 where they conducted their 19th offence - the highest value burglary of the spree – when they broke into a property in central Peterborough via a patio door and stole gold jewellery worth £72,000.

They targeted a home in Dogsthorpe on January 2 and stole jewellery worth £25,000..

In total, the gang is thought to have carried out 27 raids with 16 burglaries or attempted burglaries in Peterborough.

A Cambridgeshire police spokesperson said: “The two were part of a gang linked to 27 burglaries in Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire where jewellery worth more than £130,000 was stolen.”

Yet, police say, the only property ever recovered were some gold rings from a separate burglary.

The police spokesperson went on: "The gang began by targeting a property in Buckinghamshire, on November 12 but were chased away empty-handed.

"Undeterred, the gang went on to commit 16 further burglaries or attempted burglaries in Peterborough, nine in the Cambridge area and another in High Wycombe.”

“On each occasion they travelled from the London area to target properties they believed were unoccupied.

"They broke in and searched for jewellery and cash, often leaving other valuable items behind.”

Police say the gang’s crime spree came to an end on January 7 when a Ford Mondeo that detectives had linked to them was spotted in the Cambridge area.

The spokesperson said: “When the vehicle was stopped the three men were arrested and gold rings from a break in earlier that evening were found in the centre console – the only stolen property recovered from the burglaries.

"Each of the men had the same Nokia 105 dual sim mobile phone, a handset they had purchased in batches to co-ordinate the offences.”

Police say their investigation revealed the gang had regularly changed the vehicles they were using for the burglaries and insured them using false details.

They were linked to the crimes from CCTV footage, automatic numberplate recognition software, phone data and forensic evidence from some of the scenes.

Men jailed after Crown Court hearing:

Both men were jailed on August 6 at Cambridge Crown Court after admitting conspiring to commit burglary with intent to steal.

Cercel, of Mount Pleasant Road, London, was jailed for seven years and two months.

Craciun, of Hatherley Road, Walthamstow, London, was jailed for six years and nine months.

They also admitted knowingly entering the UK in breach of a deportation order.

Stolen jewellery was of ‘great sentimental value’

Afterwards, DC Megan Sims said: “This was a sophisticated crime spree, with the gang going to significant lengths to avoid detection in what was a targeted and thoroughly planned operation.

“Much of what was stolen had great sentimental, as well as monetary, value and can never be replaced.

"The items were not merely possessions, and it is devastating for the victims.

“The crime series required a complex investigation involving multiple officers.

"It ultimately led to the gang being identified and receiving lengthy prison sentences for their actions.”