A man allegedly involved in a plot to raid the London homes of celebrities told police he was trying to “rebuild” his life and had no knowledge of any conspiracy.

Alexandru Stan, a concierge originally from Romania, denies being part of a conspiracy to burgle three homes in west London including those of Tamara Ecclestone and Frank and Christine Lampard, during a two-week spree in December last year.

Cash, jewellery and property worth £26m was stolen in the largest domestic burglary plot ever seen in the UK.

Prosecutors at Isleworth Crown Court say Stan, 49, Maria Mester, 47, Sorin Marcovici, 53, and Emil Bogdan Savastru, 30, were all involved as members of the alleged burglars’ “supporting cast”, by arranging transport, accommodation and other assistance at various times, before helping launder the proceeds.

The alleged burglars cannot be named for legal reasons.

The pinnacle was a £25m raid at the Kensington home of Tamara Ecclestone, the daughter of ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Chelsea FC manager Frank Lampard and television presenter Christine Lampard, his wife, had about £60,000 in watches and jewellery stolen the previous week.

The alleged burglars then ransacked the family home of late former Leicester City FC chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in 2018 in a helicopter crash, making off with £1m in goods and cash.

Stan was later arrested, and said in a police interview in April that he had met up with a couple of the alleged burglars, including one meeting at his home potentially immediately after the raid on the Lampards’ address, because he had been asked by a friend to help them find cars and accommodation – not because he was part of the burglary plot, he said.

Stan told police in the interview: “I was not involved in any part. I love my life right now, I try to rebuild it, and I know a shortcut is not the right way.

“When your (police) colleague said £30m (the initial estimate of the property stolen across the three raids) I was like – what? I was ready to fall down.

“I didn’t know what it’s all about, I don’t do anything wrong since I’ve been in England.

“I have tried to work hard. Now I am accused of being involved with someone who stole £30m?

“It’s a bit hard to digest this. I don’t have any information about houses because I don’t know them.”

Stan said he did not know Frank and Christine Lampard or their address, but said that he did know Dan Petrescu, a former Chelsea defender who lived on his street in Romania 40 years ago.

Stan said the two men accused of raiding the Lampards’ home arrived at his address one evening covered in blood, which the prosecution say was caused when one of them cut themselves as they made a hurried exit from the property.

However, Stan told police they told him they needed help after getting into a fight, so he provided them with a spare pair of clean trousers and ordered them a cab, saying he had no idea what they had been doing.

“I don’t know if they planned something,” he told police.

“I am a worker, I’m not a thief.”

Stan’s co-defendant, Mester, told police she had “never stolen in my life – not even a chicken”, when she was arrested.

The trial heard Romanian-born Mester told a translator in custody: “I’ve never stolen anything in my life. I’ve never had any problems in my life, not even in Dubai.

“I want them to show me fingerprints.

“This is unbelievable, it’s not possible. I’ve never done anything like that, I’ve never stolen.”

The four defendants deny all charges. The trial continues.

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