A THUG dubbed London's most prolific robber in recent memory, has been ordered to pay back over half a million pounds after police were unable to trace all of the property he stole. Convicted robber Daniel Mykoo, 29, whose victims included

Ben McPartland

A THUG dubbed London's most prolific robber in recent memory, has been ordered to pay back over half a million pounds after police were unable to trace all of the property he stole.

Convicted robber Daniel Mykoo, 29, whose victims included Hampstead-based fashion designer Nicole Farhi and numerous other women in Haringey, Camden, Barnet and Westminster, was ordered by a judge at Wood Green Crown Court to stump up �508, 933.

His brother Matthew, 28, who often joined Daniel as part of the terrifying "strangulation robber" team was also ordered to pay �53,000.

Daniel Mykoo, of Fulham Court, Fulham Road, is currently serving a life sentence behind bars after being convicted of a shocking 84 robberies dating back to 1999 in September last year. Matthew, of Windsor Road, Brent, was also handed an indefinite spell in jail for his role in nine of the robberies.

Their loot, mainly high value jewellery and designer watches ripped off the hands of frightened women outside their homes was said to be worth over �600,000 and now police want the money back.

DC Reg Pickering, from Barnet CID, said: "The substantial costs that the Mykoo brothers have been ordered to pay reflects the sheer volume of offences they have committed. They will be suffering the financial and moral consequences of these crimes whilst they remain in their prison cells.

"I hope that this sends out a clear message that crime does not pay, and wherever possible, criminals will be ordered to pay out substantial costs which will impact on the rest of their lives."

During the trial for Matthew Mykoo at Wood Green last year the court heard how the brothers had costly drug addictions worth around �6,000 a month. But a police source who had worked on the case told the Ham&High at the time he believed that was a ruse and that most of the money they earned from pawning off the jewellery had been stored away.

DC Pickering added: "If we find out they have money then we will take it from them. Whatever they do we will take it back, within reason.

"The investigation is still ongoing and we continue to look for the stolen goods. We are obviously looking at other people as well to find out where the money has gone.

"I would like to pay tribute to the financial investigation unit based at Camden for their support during this investigation."

Other robbery teams have also targeted women in Hampstead and Highgate in the past and forced many in the area to sign up for private security but Det Con Pickering said attacks on lone women had relented.

He said: "They have been relatively safe for a long time now. It does mean they should let down their guard because people do come out prison and someone else might decide to target them but at the moment it is fairly safe.