Five charged following Beckham kidnap investigation arrests

Five men arrested in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap Victoria Beckham have been charged variously with theft and conspiracy to rob.

A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: "Five men will appear in court today charged variously with theft and conspiracy to rob.

"Inquiries into an alleged conspiracy to kidnap continue and all five men are also on police bail to return to central London police stations on November 18, pending further enquiries into these matters."

The spokesman says the five will be released on police bail until November 18 following the court appearance.

Of the other four people arrested over the weekend, one woman has been released without charge. Two men and one woman are on police bail pending inquiries unconnected to the alleged theft and kidnap matters.

The five men will appear before Horseferry Road magistrates in London.

Azem Krifsha, 30, from Kosovo, but living in London, is charged with theft and handling of a jewelled turban valued at £60,000, belonging to Sotheby's.

Joseph Rivas, 24, of Brixton, south London, is charged with theft and handling of a jewelled turban valued at £60,000 (€94,220), belonging to Sotheby's and conspiracy to rob an employee of Sotheby's of an unknown amount.

Rusu Sorin, 31, born in Romania, but living in Croydon, south London, is also charged with theft and handling of a jewelled turban valued at £60,000 (€94,220), belonging to Sotheby's.

Two other Romanian men - Adrian Razvan Pasareanu, 28 , of Morden, south London, and Alin Turcu, 18 , of Sutton, Surrey - are both charged with conspiracy to rob an employee of Sotheby's of an unknown amount.