News and Articles related to District Dobrich
Current date: 2010-02-09 07:45

Dobrich Police arrested gang robbed British families in Bulgaria

Police have arrested a violent criminal gang which targeted the homes of wealthy British expatriates in Bulgaria. The eight men targeted British residents who had moved to Bulgaria seeking its cheap property after Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. Detectives said the thieves would stake-out properties owned by British people in the Dobrich area near the Black Sea Coast.
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The thieves broke into houses when the residents were away, stealing everything from money and jewellery to stereo equipment and coffee machines. The gang members, often armed with hunting rifles and converted gas pistols, broke into the homes of eight other families in the region in the past few months.
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Commissioner Ivelin Petrov, head of the Dobrich criminal police said the robberies were well planned. "They observed the houses and studied the movements of their inhabitants, as well as their escape routes," he said.

Gang leaders, Mitko Marionov, 38, and Georgi Georgiev, 24, have  already been charged, while the other members are currently being held in custody. All of them are  known to police for various offences and some have previous convictions.
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Bulgaria has become the third most popular country for Britons seeking to buy property abroad, after Spain and France. In the Dobrich area alone there are several thousands Britons who have bought property, most of which serve as business bases or retirement homes.
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Some of the British families said they are now considering returning to Britain.