Eight arrested in connection with organized crime burglaries in Montgomery County

GAITHERSBURG, Md. – Eight people have been arrested in connection with a series of residential and commercial burglaries in Montgomery County, Baltimore County and surrounding jurisdictions, the Montgomery County Department of Police announced Friday. The suspects are believed to be part of a Romanian organized crime group called the ‘Roma crew’.

The arrests occurred on Oct. 24 after officers from the 5th District Special Assignment Team located suspicious vehicles near a home on Essex View Drive that had reportedly been burglarized several times in recent weeks. Officers from the 4th and 6th precincts responded when the suspects traveled to a home on Garnkirk Forest Drive in Clarksburg, where police observed them committing another burglary.

After the burglary in Clarksburg, the suspects were tracked to a WaWa store on S. Frederick Avenue. With the assistance of the Gaithersburg Police Department, officers successfully apprehended all suspects without incident. Seven of the suspects were taken to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit and charged with burglary-related crimes. One female suspect was transported to a local hospital and has not yet been identified.

Those taken into custody include:

Mercedesa Iordache, 50
Titina Sardaru, 57
Lorena Enache, 37
Flavius Stoic, 44
Dumitru Velcu, 29
Denisa Chiciu, 29
Anisoara Iordache, 54

The arrests were a coordinated effort between the 5th and 6th District Community Action Teams, Gaithersburg Police, multiple county detective agencies and special assignment teams, as well as K9 units.

The investigation remains active and authorities indicated additional information would be released as it becomes available.

Mercedesa Iordache (Original image)