A violent gang that stalked money couriers across London launching violent attacks on them in broad daylight, has been jailed for over 36 years in total.
The six men, armed with knives and noxious gas, followed nine couriers before assaulting them on the street, on buses and in tube stations and stealing £120,000 between July and November 2014, Kingston Crown Court heard.
In the first attack just after midday on July 25 last year the gang followed their victim from Victoria to Kings Cross station where three of them punched him to the ground and stole his bag, the court heard.
A member of the public chased them into a nearby hotel where one of the suspects turned and threatened the have-a-go hero with a knife.
Other robberies took place over the next four months at Knightsbridge Underground Station and Oxford Circus, on buses near Hyde Park Corner and Park Lane, and on streets across Westminster.
Daniel Santiago, 23 of Southampton Way, Southwark, who was convicted for his part in the King’s Cross attack was jailed for nine years and four months for conspiracy to rob.
Daniel Riveira, 33, of Fender Court, Paradise Road, Lambeth, also involved in the King’s Cross attack was put behind bars for five years and seven months for conspiracy to rob.
Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Tony Skinner, of the Met Police’s Flying Squad, said: “The victims were moving large amounts of cash for bureau de change shops. The gangs watched them leave the premises, then followed them before launching their assaults.
“They are an incredibly violent gang who thought nothing of attacking their victims in crowded places. On a number of occasions, they stabbed their victims and sprayed a noxious substance into their eyes. They even turned a knife on a member of public who chased them.”
The Flying Squad began investigating after identifying a trend in the attacks.
On 25 November 2014, they arrested Santiago, Riveira and fellow gang member Mario Jiminez, after observing them follow a man to Bayswater.
The victim went inside a building and the gang got on a bus to Victoria in the hope, detectives believe, of locating a new victim. Detectives arrested the men as they got off the bus.
Jiminez, 25, of Lucyashe House, Winchester Close, Southwark, was jailed for two years and four months for robbery.
Three other gang members Kevin Gomez, 23, of Wicksteed House, County Street, Southwark was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison for three counts of robbery.
Juan Estrada Blandon, 32, of Dearmer House, Tulse Hill, Lambeth, was imprisoned for six year for two robberies while Nehmia Haile-Ghilazghi, 23, of Friar Mews, West Norwood, Lambeth got four years and four months imprisonment for an attempted robbery.
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