Three Men Jailed for Cable Theft That Cut Off 5,000 in Birmingham

Key facts

• Three men jailed for three years each at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
• Marian Agarlita, 37, from the Isle of Wight; Sorin Condrache, 45, and Aldafin Poenaru, 49, both of Smethwick.
• They stole underground cables worth £50,000, cutting services to about 5,000 customers.
• West Midlands Police arrested the group after tamper alarms were triggered.
• Repair costs and disruption far exceeded the value of the stolen cables.
• Openreach said repairs could take weeks and required diverting engineers from other work.

A coordinated heist leaves thousands in the dark

Three men have been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing underground cables in Birmingham, a crime that severed phone and broadband services for approximately 5,000 residents. The theft, valued at £50,000, caused far greater economic and social damage, police said, as repair crews scrambled to restore connectivity. The gang was arrested at the scene after alarms designed to detect tampering alerted authorities. Officers from West Midlands Police responded swiftly, apprehending the men before they could flee.

The perpetrators and their method

Marian Agarlita, 37, from the Isle of Wight, and Sorin Condrache, 45, and Aldafin Poenaru, 49, both of Montague Road in Smethwick, pleaded guilty to theft. At Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, each received a three-year sentence. Police described the operation as carefully planned and executed. PC Charlotte Gurrey, who led the investigation, stated: 'The gang were clearly skilled, organised, and a significant amount of planning went into their efforts.' One of the men initially refused to come out from underground, raising safety concerns and the possibility of excavating part of the street.

Widespread disruption and vulnerable victims

The stolen cables left about 5,000 customers without phone or internet access. While the cables themselves were worth £50,000, the cost of repairs and the broader disruption ran far higher, according to police. Openreach, the company responsible for the network, said the theft caused 'real harm', particularly to vulnerable people who rely on these services for daily communication and emergencies. A spokesperson noted that repairs could take weeks and would require engineers to be diverted from other projects, further straining resources.

A callous disregard for community impact

PC Gurrey highlighted the gang's indifference to the consequences of their actions. 'They showed a complete disregard for the knock on impact on communication within the city,' she said. She praised the rapid response by officers and Openreach, which raised the alarm. The case underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to targeted theft, with ripple effects that extend far beyond the immediate loss of copper or fiber.

Outlook and lingering questions

With the perpetrators now jailed, the focus shifts to repairing the damage and preventing future incidents. Openreach has not disclosed the full cost of restoration, but the diversion of engineers from other work suggests a broader impact on service maintenance. The case also raises questions about the security of underground cables and whether additional measures are needed to deter similar crimes. For the 5,000 affected customers, the disruption serves as a stark reminder of how dependent modern life is on seamless connectivity.

The bottom line

• Three men were jailed for three years for stealing underground cables in Birmingham, affecting 5,000 customers.
• The theft was planned and organized, with the gang showing skill and disregard for community impact.
• Repair costs and disruption far exceeded the £50,000 value of the stolen cables.
• Vulnerable residents relying on phone and broadband services were particularly harmed.
• Openreach warned that repairs could take weeks and require diverting engineers from other work.