KEY POINTS:
A Romanian couple have admitted fleecing elderly women in a month long crime spree across the North Island
Alexandrus Marius Mihaita, 31, and Daniela Vasile, 27, pleaded guilty in New Plymouth District Court yesterday to 33 charges of theft and fraud.
The tourists, who arrived from Singapore on September 24, committed crimes in 11 towns and cities from Pukekohe to New Plymouth, stealing almost $9000 from their 13 victims.
The court was told Mihaita and Vasile would "shoulder surf" their victims in supermarkets and watch as they entered their pin numbers as they paid for goods.
They would then follow their victims and, while one distracted the victim by asking for directions, the other would steal her purse and cash card.
The victims were all elderly women, the oldest 80-years-old.
Police said the pair's crime spree stretched over 26 days, from October 5 to October 30.
They were caught after they crashed their van on October 31 and were forced to spend a night in New Plymouth, where a policeman who had been alerted about the pair, recognised them.
The pair were remanded in custody until sentencing on December 19.
- NZPA
