A violent London gang which terrorised businesses with a fake handgun, hammer, and samurai sword in a campaign of “frightening armed robberies” has been jailed.
The organised group targetted bookmakers, demonstrating knowledge of their security procedures and cunning methods, including using female gang members to lure staff out into the shop floor.
They would then use shocking levels of violence and intimidation to force the workers into opening safes and producing cash, police revealed Monday.
During one of the robberies at a Ladbrokes betting shop in Brent, on December 3rd, 2016, a worker was hit with a handgun.
In another of the gang’s hits, in Southall on September 15th, 2016, a customer and a member of staff had guns pointed to their heads.
Detective Inspector Scott Hartley, of the Met’s Flying Squad (a branch of the Serious and Organised Crime Command), said: “This gang was responsible for a series of frightening armed robberies in which violence and intimidation was used against employees in the bookmakers.
“The crimes were premeditated and the gang members worked as a team to carry out the offences.
“This case shows that anyone found to be involved in the commission of armed robbery offences will be arrested and likely to be given a significant jail sentence.”
Demetri Fairweather, 22, from Wembley, was found guilty of conspiracy to rob and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday.
Earlier, three other members of the gang had admitted to conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm and were sentenced at the same court.
Three men from Brent, West London — Jordan Reid, 26, Yaanan Reid, 19, and Johnson Konan, 22 — got 11, eight, and nine years’ imprisonment respectively for confessing to the crimes.
Shannon Roberts, 21, of Queen’s Park, was sentenced to six years after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and was found guilty after a trial of conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm.
Diana Holder, 22 of Hayes, got three years after she admitting to conspiracy to rob.
Burglary in London has surged by around 10 percent under left-wing Mayor Sadiq Khan, with some crimes including knife attacks hitting record levels.