Women snatched £14k of luggage from travellers

A GANG of suitcase snatchers targeted luggage worth around £14,000 in a series of thefts from North East train passengers.

Nadezhda Ivanova, her daughter Gina Kalcheva and Mariana Petrova helped themselves to luggage from unsuspecting LNER customers between Newcastle and Darlington.

The three women, who were aided in court by a Bulgarian interpreter, were traced because one of the victims had tracker software on her stolen ipad which showed where they were.

Now Ivanova has been jailed while Kalcheva and Petrova were given suspended prison sentences at Newcastle Crown Court.

Vince Ward, prosecuting, said: “The offences all took place on the LNER rail system. Luggage was stolen from passengers on various trains between Newcastle and Darlington. Events are captured on CCTV at Newcastle and Darlington railway stations.”

The first victim was a passenger on a train on June 6, 2022, when she had personal belongings worth £815 stolen from her.

Referring to a victim impact statement by the woman, Mr Ward said: “She expresses how upset she was at the theft of her clothes and personal possessions, including jewellery and which she had to replace at her own cost.

“She said some of the items were irreplaceable. She experienced anxiety and disruption to her life in an effort to replace what was stolen from her.”

On the same day, another woman had belongings worth £6,000 stolen from her between Newcastle and Darlington.

All three defendants were captured on CCTV at Newcastle Central station in possession of that luggage.

Mr Ward said: “In that woman’s luggage was an ipad with tracker software downloaded to it and because of that the police were able to discover that the ipad was in a local youth hostel.

“Inquires revealed the three defendants had booked into that

Mariana Petrova

hostel using Miss Petrova’s details.”

On June 8, another female passenger had more than £2,000 of property stolen and the three thieves were seen on CCTV with that luggage at Darlington train station.

That victim, a student at Durham University, said she was at the beginning of an “arduous journey” back to China when she lost her valuables and also some medication.

Mr Ward said she described being caused unbelievable and unnecessary stress.

On February 1, 2023, a man had luggage worth £5,000 stolen, including two ipads and four family passports which were later recovered.

Ivanova and Petrova were seen on CCTV with that property at Darlington and some of the items were discarded in a churchyard.

Mr Ward said: “He was travelling home to South Korea and describes being upset and distressed by the loss of his property, including passports for all of his family.”

Ivanova and Kalcheva were traced to an address in Sheffield and admitted their involvement while Petrova was arrested in London.

Ivanova and Petrova admitted four counts of theft while Kalcheva admitted three counts of theft.

The court heard Petrova, 30, of Hetford Road, Enfield, London, has convictions for theft in the UK in 2008 and 2014 and a caution for theft in 2007. She also has several convictions for theft in other countries, including Austria, Spain, Denmark, Poland and France.

Ivanova, 42, of Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, has convictions for theft in 2011, 2013 and 2014 and for handling stolen goods in 2007.

Kalcheva, 22, also of Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, has no previous convictions.

Petrova was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years with 150 hours’ unpaid work.

Ivanova was jailed for 27 months and Katcheva received an eightmonth jail sentence, suspended for 12 months with 150 hours’ unpaid work.

Ian Cook, for Ivanova, said she came to the North East with the promise of work which didn’t materialise and she committed the offence due to financial hardship. He added that she is now working in a factory.

The court heard Kalcheva is Ivanova’s daughter and acted out of financial hardship, having struggled to hold down work due to her difficulties speaking English, although she is now in work.

Jane Foley, for Petrova, said she has young children and would lose her job if locked up. She added that she had learned her lesson and was a low risk of reoffending.