Tonight:
9°c
First pictures of Knightsbridge hammer robbers caught in the act
Justin Davenport29.04.09
THESE are the dramatic pictures of the moment two smash-and-grab motorbike robbers were arrested in a police ambush.
The pair were seized as they burst into the Brompton Road Watches of Switzerland store 50 yards from Harrods in December. The store was thronged with Christmas shoppers who dived for cover as the two men, armed with a sledgehammer and wearing balaclavas, smashed glass cabinets containing £700,000 of watches.
Billy Stewart, 18, and Wole Osinlaru, 20, both from Islington, were starting lengthy jail sentences today after pleading guilty to charges of robbery at Blackfriars crown court. Stewart also pleaded guilty to a burglary at the Goldsmiths' jewellery store in Westminster in October last year. He was jailed for seven years. Osinlaru was jailed for six years.
Osinlaru was on probation at the time of the robbery, having been released from jail four weeks earlier after serving two years of a four-year sentence for a cash-in-transit robbery.
The two men were members of the notorious "Fagin's Kitchen" motorcycle gangs which has plagued London in recent years.
In the past year alone the gangs have escaped with more than £4million of goods in dozens of raids on London jewellery stores and fashion shops.
Detective Sergeant Rhys Willis said: "These offences were terrifying experiences for the customers and the staff.
"There is a mistaken belief that these offences are committed by juveniles on a whim."
Reader views (8)
I assume that they`ve been on remand so allowing for time off for good behaviour they`ll be out in a couple of years. Make sense??
- M. John Namrah, San Diego, USA
I cannot believe people are aghast at the sentence....these people should be locked away for ever.
- Hector, London
Can someone explain why smashing windows and stealing jewelery gets the same sentence as stabbing someone to death? At the two most recent teenage murder trials, the killers were given 7yrs.
- Danny, London
Wow, big sentences for what they did really.
- Serox, London
Ok so those sentences aren't too bad, so can someone please tell me why some people get 2 or 3 years when they commit murder? All these two did was steal a life wasn't taken but they get proper sentences why can't people who text while driving or someone who's caused a death by a hit and run. The justice system in Britain truly sucks
- Lorraine, London
He looks like a G8 riot cop to me.
- Mickyinlondon, london
If they hadn't been let out early then it would have worked because they would have been inside rather than on the street causing further mayhem. Lock them up and throw away the key.
- Bruce, London
on probabtion, previous time served .. yes prison really does work !!
- Joanna, london
