Teenage smash and grab gang jailed for total of 30 years (14 May 2015)

Kingston Crown Court has jailed a teenage gang from Islington in north London for a total of 30 years, after they carried out smash and grab raids on two of London’s top hotels.

Islington Gazette reports that Skye Roberts, 19, of Cubbit Street in King’s Cross and Fred Gosling, 18, of Portpool Lane in Clerkenwell used sledgehammers and stolen scooters to steal £335,000-worth of watches from The Dorchester in Mayfair and the Carlton Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge between 9 June and 12 July 2014.

The Dorchester hotel was raided on two occasions in the space of a month by the gang, the court was told. The gang also stole watches to the value of £65,000 at the Jumeriah Carlton Tower Hotel in Cadogan Place on July 7 last year.

The teenagers were also found guilty of several thefts involving scooters – and an attempted robbery at Rankings Jewellers in Bethnal Green Road, east London, less than two weeks after the second Dorchester raid.

The court heard that members of the gang had smashed through windows and cabinets at the hotels, grabbing watches – including a watch worth £27,700, which has not been recovered.

The court also heard that a pedestrian was knocked unconscious at Cambridge Circus, after being hit by one of the riders as they fled along Shaftesbury Avenue in central London from the first Dorchester raid on 10 June.

Police got a crucial lead in the investigation when one of the gang dropped a sledgehammer and it was seized as evidence.

As well as the London hotel smash and grab offences, Gosling was found guilty of the attempted robbery at Rankings in July, along with Herman Yemane, 18 of Highbury New Park in Islington and a 17-year-old from King’s Cross who cannot be named for legal reasons.

On Friday (08/05/15) at Kingston Crown Court, Gosling was sentenced to 10 years in jail and Roberts was given a six-year prison sentence.

Yemane and the 17-year-old also pleaded guilty to an attempted theft at luxury watch store L’Atelier Parmigiani in Mayfair on 23 July, together with Adel Soufie, 18, of Hazelville Road in Islington.

Yemane received a six-year jail term, while Soufie was given a three-year sentence and the 17-year-old was jailed for four-and-a-half years by the court.

After sentencing on Friday, Detective Constable Martin Lappin of the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad, said:

“I am pleased with the convictions as they highlight that armed robberies are not victimless crimes. Innocent people were injured.

“These men gave no concern for those they hurt or to those who had to witnesses the traumatic robberies. They caused much fear and alarm –
and for that, today's convictions are justified.”

Duncan Lewis Crime Lawyers

Duncan Lewis crime lawyers can advise at any stage of a criminal charge including charges relating to theft, robbery and robbery with violence.
Duncan Lewis crime lawyers regularly visit police stations, courts and prisons to advise on criminal charges, including youth courts and young offender institutions.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide – and a criminal defence lawyer can usually reach a client at a police station or court in under an hour.

For expert legal advice on criminal law, call Duncan Lewis crime lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

For 24/7 help at a police station, call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036.