Gang in post office theft charges

A group of suspected asylum seekers have appeared in court in connection with the theft of £56,000 from a post office in County Londonderry.

Ballymena Magistrates' Court was told on Thursday that the accused, who have addresses in the Dublin area of the Irish Republic, had entered a post office within a shop in Castlerock and stole £56,000 on 24 October this year.

The court heard that they were arrested on Tuesday at another post office in Ballymoney, County Antrim.

They were refused bail after police claimed they were illegal immigrants who may be operating under false names.

All six were also charged with intending to steal from Bendooragh Post Office, near Ballymoney on Tuesday, and of stealing £155 from a convenience store in Limavady, County Derry, on the same day.

Interpreters put the charges to the six accused, who are all Romanian.

Monica Saradaru, 26, of Forbes Lane, Dublin; Dumitru Cristian Dumitru, 24, of Swiftbrook Avenue, Tallaght; Sorin Velcu, 19, of Wilkinstown Crescent, Dublin; Monica Serdaru, 25, of no fixed address, and a 16-year-old girl who cannot be named for legal reasons, all denied the charges.

Paula Miclescu, 40, of Ulciston Crescent, Dublin, did not face the most serious charge but replied: "I didn't steal anything," when accused of the robbery in Limavady.

A detective constable opposing bail told the court she believed the accused were all asylum seekers in the Irish Republic and had illegally entered the UK.

She said the police were not sure if they had the correct names and addresses.

The six were remanded in custody to appear at Coleraine Court on 17 November.

Three of them are to face questioning by detectives investigating an unrelated matter.