Romanian man with criminal convictions across Europe helped move stolen safe from Blackburn mosque

The town’s magistrates heard Elvis Sainea answered a late night call from a friend and helped to load the cast iron safe into his vehicle which had been stolen from the Masjid-Al-Momineen Mosque in Ash Street minutes earlier.

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Sainea, of Holly Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to handling the safe containing cash, driving without insurance and other than in accordance with a licence.

The court heard the safe and cash contents had never been recovered following the burglary, which happened between 10pm on March 2 and 5.30am on March 3.

CCTV footage published by the Lancashire Telegraph at the time of the raid shows three men walk into the Masjid-Al-Momineen before dragging the safe from a prayer room.

Nobody else has been prosecuted over the theft and police are continuing to appeal for witnesses.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the large, cast iron safe was very heavy and contained a quantity of cash donated to the mosque.

She said CCTV images showed the safe being loaded into a car belonging to the defendant and he was arrested driving the car the following day.

“He has pleaded guilty on the basis that he didn’t take part in the burglary itself but clearly there was close proximity,” said Miss Allan.

“The safe has never been recovered and neither has the cash.”

She said prior to arriving in the UK Sainea had received custodial sentences in France and Germany.

Colleen Dickinson-Jones, defending, said Sainea had been in a casino with some other friends when he received a phone call requesting his help.

“He accepts he assisted in putting the safe in the car,” said Mrs Dickinson-Jones. “None of the other individuals involved have been brought before the court.”

Sainea was made subject to a curfew between 8pm and 7am for 10 weeks and ordered to pay £500 compensation and £85 costs.

Anybody with information about the theft is asked to call police on 101.