This is the moment a burglar who stole £24,000 worth of wine from a celebrity restaurant is caught in the act.
Iuliu Kubola, 61, broke in using a crowbar and grabbed 73 bottles from Piazza Italiana located in the Grade II former British Linen Bank building on Threadneedle Street.
CCTV captures Kubola putting his loot from the cellar into a wheelie bin, leaving and then loading it into the back of his tuk-tuk parked outside.
He then cycles away on the pedicab on May 6.
On June 15, Kubola returned to the same eatery - which has entertained the likes of EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa, Charlotte Crosby and Sam Faiers - to steal a further three wine bottles worth around £680.
He went back again four days later, but left without taking anything.
City of London PC Jordan Felstead recognised Kubola in the street on June 22 having remembered an earlier briefing flagging him as a person of interest.
He approached the raider who is seen in body-worn footage being stopped outside a bar on Cornhill.
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After making further enquiries, PC Felstead discovered Kunola was a suspect connected to a spate of burglaries.
Detective Constable Marcus Fairclough, of City of London Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “Thanks to the good work by our officers, who spotted him and quickly made enquiries and the arrest, Iuliu Kubola will face the consequences of his criminality.
“Burglary has a significant impact on businesses and residential communities.
“We will attend all reports of break-ins in the City - giving us the best chance of making an arrest and collecting evidence from a scene.
“We will always take this type of criminality seriously and thoroughly investigate all evidential leads, including forensics, to bring those perpetrators to justice.”
Kubola also caused damage to external door and locks, costing £1,425 to repair.
Andrew Walker, the force’s physical forensics manager, added: “Our fast response is vital to maximise forensic opportunities and lessen the impact on the victims.
“Being burgled is horrendous - not being able to tidy up or open your business and resume trading exacerbates this massively.
“The victim is at the heart of everything we do. Delivering them justice, whilst minimising the impact that crime has on them, is the bedrock on which City of London Police Forensic Services operates.”
Kubola, of Richie Street, Islington, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary and will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on September 8.
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