A 16-YEAR-OLD boy was among an organised gang who admitted targeting vulnerable shoppers across Worcestershire to steal mobile phones.

Teenager Madalin Demitru of Fraser Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, Elizei Ion, aged 19, of Ward End Road, Birmingham and 26-year-old Florinel Constantin of Treaford Lane, Ward End, Birmingham, appeared at Worcester Crown Court. Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC labelled the crimes a “conspiracy” and warned the gang they faced jail after hearing of the incidents, which occurred within hours of each other on October 12 last year.

Demitru and Ion admitted attempting to steal from two girls who were at Parkinson Wright Estate Agents, Pump Street, Worcester.

All three admitted stealing an Apple iPhone from Get Connected, also in Pump Street, on the same day.

And the court was told how just hours earlier, Demitru had stolen a mobile phone from a shopper in Redditch, which he admitted.

Constantin also pleaded guilty to stealing an Apple iPhone from a hairdressers in Chesterfield on August 28 last year.

Judge Pearce-Higgins told the court: “They are an organised gang. This was a conspiracy. It seems to me this passes the custody threshold.”

The trio were granted conditional bail while a pre-sentence report is prepared and will return to the court to be sentenced on May 9.