Six Romanian family members targeted sleeping commuters in a bout of late-night pickpocketing, a court heard today.
They swept through trains stealing mobile phones and cash from dozens of exhausted or tipsy victims, jurors were told.
Many victims were making their way home after a night out, travelling on trains between Charing Cross and Gravesend, where the Rostas family live, Blackfriars crown court heard.
David Hewitt, prosecuting, said: "It was a well-organised operation targeting vulnerable people travelling late at night.
"Over 40 victims have been identified. All the defendants played a part in that venture. It was a family affair."
Police raided the Gravesend homes of two branches of the Rostas family last August and recovered a "significant number" of phones and sims.
More than 50 hours of CCTV showed the Rostas entering rail stations late at night and into the early hours, though there is no footage of the thefts themselves.
The gang routinely boarded at the back of their chosen trains to "sweep" through the carriages, said Mr Hewitt.
On one occasion police caught brothers Romulous, 18, and 25-year-old Marin, closing in on a woman slumped in her seat.
"They were paying particular attention to passengers who were asleep," said Mr Hewitt. "Romulous was seen to sit next to a lone female passenger, who was slumped on her side and appeared to have been drinking.
"There were other available seats. He chose these. The woman had a bag open on the seat next to her. Romulous was seen to lean forward across her as if about to do something. The plainclothes officer intervened."
Robert Rostas, 23, has admitted conspiracy to steal. Marin and Romulous Rostas deny charges.
Anna Rostas, 23, her 22-year-old husband Cornell, and the brothers' aunt Diana, 27, also deny involvement in the pickpocketing plot spanning January 2009 to August 2011.
A 17-year-old, who cannot be named, also denies the charge.
The trial continues.
