Video captured on a baby monitor shows the moment a Romanian burglar rifled through a bedroom at a family home searching for valuables.
Neculai Nederi, who has served prison sentences in Romania, Bulgaria and Germany, targeted two houses in Newcastle while the owners were out, taking £100,000 worth of precious possessions.
Footage shows Nederi during one of the raids, searching through a chest of drawers before lifting a mattress and packing items from the bed storage area into bags.
The video, taken from a baby monitor that was left on while the family were on holiday, shows Nederi leave the house with around £50,000 worth of Asian gold jewellery and designer bags.
At Newcastle Crown Court this week, Nederi, 48, who has more than 50 convictions on his record, admitted two charges of burglary and was jailed for three years and nine months.
Recorder Mark McKone told him: ‘You are a dishonest career criminal.’
The first raid happened in June last year when a couple and their two children left their home in Fenham, Newcastle, to go on holiday, the court heard.
While they were away, the victims received a phone call to tell them their home had been raided.
Neculai Nederi is caught on a baby monitor raiding a bedroom at a family home for valuables
He lifts a large mattress and packs items from the bed storage area into bags
A baby monitor left on in the bedroom showed Nederi was in the house stealing a large amount of Asian gold jewellery, along with designer handbags, perfume and a bank card.
Among the stolen items were the woman’s deceased mother’s wedding ring, a full wedding gold set and Chanel jewellery, with an estimated value of more than £50,000.
The woman said in a victim impact statement: ‘I’m absolutely heartbroken and devastated with what was taken as as lot of the stuff has sentimental value to me.
‘Some of the jewellery I wore at my wedding, some were gifts from family and friends, some was from my mum who passed away.
‘I’ve worked really hard for these things, which I’ve collected over many years. I now feel unsafe in my own home and feel like I have to look over my shoulder all the time.
‘I keep looking out of the window to see if anyone is watching our home. I’m frightened this person has been watching me and my children and I’m scared they will come back.’
The second victim, who lives in the same area of the city, was burgled on July 4 last year.
A few days earlier, CCTV showed a man knocking on the front door while speaking in Romanian, before leaving.
Neculai Nederi (pictured) was jailed for three years and nine months at Newcastle Crown Court
CCTV shows a man knocking on the front door of a property while speaking in Romanian, before leaving
On the day of the raid, the victim had been out for a few hours and when she got back, she found her front door wide open and four bedrooms in the house left in a mess.
A large amount of Asian jewellery had been stolen, along with around 50 watches. The total value of the stolen items was £52,881.
She checked CCTV and saw three men carrying out the burglary, one of whom acted as a lookout after Nederi climbed through a window and let an accomplice in.
In a victim impact statement, she said: ‘This is the worse feeling ever. My son was crying and screaming and I’m most worried for him.
‘The mess that they made – they even took the pillow cases off the bed to see if there was any gold. They took everything and it’s completely heart-breaking.
‘The items they took are deeply sentimental. I was gifted a lot of the jewellery from my father, who has now passed away.
‘I now feel like I can’t wear my jewellery. I keep thinking someone is watching the house and will steal it from me so I keep looking over my shoulder.
‘Out of fear, we have stopped keeping jewellery in the house. I feel we should not have to be afraid to keep valuables in our home which is supposed to be our safe space.
‘I keep thinking what I would really like to ask the people who did this is why did they do this to my family. I also want to ask where is our jewellery and that we want it back.
‘The devastation of strangers being in our house and the loss of property and the emotional impact this has caused to my family is irreversible.’
Jonathan Cousins, defending, said Nederi carried out the offences due to a gambling addition, adding: ‘He asks me to express his deep, profound and genuine remorse for the damage he has caused.’