A man who Oakwood police say was part of a Romanian criminal organization was arrested Monday morning for allegedly committing cell phone thefts across the state.
Marius Angelo Vasile, age 32, was arrested Monday morning at a residence in Gwinnett County according to a release from the Oakwood Police Department. Vasile is one of two suspects being sought by authorities in the thefts.
Oakwood police said Vasile and the other suspect, Maria Antonescu, are both Romanian immigrants. They reportedly tried to steal phones from an AT&T store on Mundy Mill Road in Oakwood on March 15.
"AT&T employees told officers that they had recognized the male and female suspects from an internal AT&T Corporate BOLO identifying these suspects as committing actual thefts of cellphones at other stores in the State of Georgia," Oakwood police said. "The suspects use special keys to unlock the cellphones from the display tables."
Vasile and Antonescu had reportedly stolen phones from stores in Jefferson, Athens, Sandy Springs, Atlanta, Locust Grove, Perry and Bonaire, as well as a store in eastern Tennessee.
Oakwood police used surveillance video to identify the suspects' vehicle and later tracked them to the residence in Gwinnett County, where they arrested Vasile. Antonescu remains at large at last report.
"These two suspects are part of a larger Romanian Organized Crime group that moves around the country committing various types of thefts and fraud," police said.
Several keys were discovered at the Gwinnett County residence, along with information identifying other suspects police say may be connected to AT&T thefts.
Vasile is being held in the Hall County Jail on more than $14,000 bond. Anyone with information on the thefts or on Antonescu's location is asked to contact Oakwood police investigators by calling 770-534-2364 or by emailing [email protected].
The Jefferson Police Department reportedly aided Oakwood police in arresting Vasile Monday.
