A Romanian duo stole thousands of pounds worth of goods from four local Tesco stores in the space of just a few hours a court has heard.

Alexandra Zamfir, 24, and Robert Pascu, 20, were due to be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, February 17.

However, the case was adjourned for the third time, this time due to confusion over the men’s previous convictions.

The court heard how the pair, from Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, started their shoplifting spree in Cardigan Tesco on the afternoon of September 23 last year.

Both men were seen on CCTV entering the store with a shopping trolley each and large bags in the trolleys.

They proceeded to take printer ink, freeing them from the security hook and placing clothing over the items.

They added a tray of Nicorette products to this before leaving the store at 4.50pm with goods valued at around £800.

Both men then travelled to Tesco in Haverfordwest arriving there at around 5.30pm. In less than 30 minutes the men had taken razors, printer ink and Nicorette products to the value of £1,500.

The pair then hit Tesco in Milford Haven, arriving there at 6.15. Staff noticed them acting suspiciously, pulling clothing over their trolley when members of staff were nearby.

While in the store they took printer ink and toothbrushes to the value of more than £1,000.

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Within minutes the pair were in Pembroke Dock Tesco where again they took printer ink, placing it in a bag in the trolley. They left the shop carrying the bag with no intention of paying for the items, again worth around £1,000.

Both men had previously admitted their crimes at Llanelli Magistrates Court.

The court heard that Pascu had three convictions for 12 offences. These included theft from a shop and going equipped for theft, with a specially lined bag that would avoid detection, on March 4 last year; handling stolen goods on June 21 last year and theft from a shop on November 8 last year.

He had been given a conditional discharge for the thefts in March and was now in breach of this.

However, his defence solicitor said that Pascu did not accept the November 8 conviction, stating that he had never been interviewed about the offences and been in Romania the following week.

Miss Donoghue, prosecuting, said that the CPS had contacted a court in Scotland regarding that offence and they had no record of Pascu. However, she did not know if the court had been given Pascu’s aliases.

Zamfir also had a conviction from November 8 last year of theft from a shop, however his solicitor said that these had not shown up on the digital case system.

“I am the third judge and this is the third time that this case has been before the court,” said His Honour Judge Geraint Walters KC.

“I can’t sentence nor could any judge sentence without knowing [about the antecedent history].”

He adjourned the sentencing for another week and remanded Zamfir and Pascu into custody until then.

He asked for details of the previous convictions and dates of the offences, whether the conditional discharge had been dealt with by the other courts and whether a bail act offence had been committed and dealt with to be provided by then.

“I will adjourn until a week today and reserve the case [for myself to deal with],” he said. “I don’t want to inflict the agony on another judge of trying to work this all out.”

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