Camden men jailed for smash-and-grab robbery at City jewellers

Vincent Kamara was jailed for 12 years for conspiracy to commit robbery (Image: Archant)

Vincent Kamara, 28, and Boz Burbridge, 31, are among seven gang members who were sentenced today for their varying roles in 10 smash-and-grab raids at upmarket shops across the capital.

The two from Bloomsbury carried out a morning raid of Mappin and Webb jewellers in Fenchurch Street, in the City, in April last year.

Accompanied by two others, they drove up to the store on two high-powered motorbikes, using one of the bikes to ram through the doors.

Armed with sledgehammers and an axe, Burbridge and an accomplice ran inside the shop and threatened terrified members of staff, while ringleader Kamara directed the pair towards shop displays containing the most valuable watches.

They smashed through the glass cabinets and escaped with more than £300,000 worth of Rolex watches, leaving their weapons at the scene.

The watches were then dropped off at a house linked to the smash-and-grab gang in Islington.

But less than three hours later, detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad swooped on the address.

Kamara and Burbridge were acting on the instructions of Reece Dunford, 31, of Waltham Abbey, Essex, who played a part in all 10 raids across London.

Dunford has been described by police as the “go-to man” for handling high-value goods stolen during smash-and-grab raids.

As payment for his services, he was offered discount items stolen from a notorious raid at Selfridge’s in Oxford Street, in which thieves dressed in burkas to rob the store of more than £1million worth of watches.

Kamara, of Endsleigh Street, was today jailed alongside the six other gang members at Kingston Crown Court for 12 years for conspiracy to commit robbery at Mappin and Webb.

Burbridge, of Calthorpe Street, was jailed for seven years for conspiracy to commit robbery at Mappin and Webb.