Helmet camera footage helps send handbag thieves to prision!

[gaz]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b53soL7ZzKU

Captured by a passing cyclist's head camera - watch as a mobile phone is snatched as the victim walked along a road in south London in 2013. This footage was used as evidence to convict the gang. Details below.

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Four men who were part of an organised criminal network which committed a string of mobile phone 'snatch' street robberies on a moped have been jailed.

The five-strong team who drove a high-powered scooter to steal phones from their victim's hands, are responsible for a total of 46 offences and stealing the moped - all committed over a 11 day period last year.

In September 2013 detectives from Wandsworth CID identified that a moped - a black 300cc Aprilla - which was stolen in Battersea on 22 September 2013, was being consistently used by thieves to target commuters and other members of the public for their smart phones and hand held devices.

On some occasions the suspects (one driver and one pillion passenger) would park their moped to monitor the flow of pedestrian traffic and who was in possession of hand held devices. Once a target was established, the suspects, with their faces hidden under crash helmets, then rode up to victims to snatch their items at close proximity. The moped, which would be driven onto the pavement, would then make off at speed.

The team of robbers operated across south west London, mainly spanning the borough of Wandsworth, however offences took place in Lambeth, Richmond upon Thames and Hammersmith & Fulham.

They targeted members of the public for their smartphones - predominantly IPhones, Samsungs and IPads. One victim, who was a heavily pregnant at the time and due to give birth in a matter of weeks, also fell victim to the robbers.

On one date alone (25 September 2013) a total of ten offences were committed within five hour period. Whilst the majority of the offences resulted in no injuries being sustained by the predominantly female victims, on at least eight occasions violence was used to force victims into giving up their property.

Four men received a range of sentences at Kingston Crown Court - the most serious being 4 years & 8 months in prison.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Bloody camera cyclists, going round looking for trouble.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

I'm shocked.

There is such a thing as a high-powered scooter?

 

[cd365]

What did the helmet camera footage prove? It didn't show who the culprits were?

 

[gaz]

I'm shocked.

There is such a thing as a high-powered scooter?

only 300cc apparently, which is big for a scooter but nothing on motorbikes.

 

[MontyVeda]

What did the helmet camera footage prove? It didn't show who the culprits were?

There will have been other evidence i guess. If the suspects are in possession of a matching scooter, clothing, helmets, that Adidas (?) bag... then it doesn't take a massive leap of faith to presume it's them what done it.

 

[cd365]

Still doesn't prove it was them!

 

[MontyVeda]

Still doesn't prove it was them!

other evidence will have been the proof... the footage will be supporting evidence showing them in the act.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I did hope for a moment that they would get apprehended by the traffic island. Anyhow, apparently Trayvon, the pillion rider refused to cooperate with the police but the scooterist, Sam, sung.

 

[Arjimlad]

Their knees were Nokia'ing in the dock as the Motor Rola'd over and confessed all to the court.

 

[apb]

They almost crashed into a yellow van at 24s. That would of been unfortunate!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Still doesn't prove it was them!

It shows the MO, the build and clothing of those involved, and the vehicle. Other victims may have given accounts with details which match all of these elements and lends credence to their account of events.
It won't have been the only evidence but it will have helped, that's all the thread title says.

GC

 

[Saluki]

I must be a bit tired as I read the thread title as "helmet camera footage helps send handbag thieves to popcorn"
I'm off for a bath and a cup of tea.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I did hope for a moment that they would get apprehended by the traffic island. Anyhow, apparently Trayvon, the pillion rider refused to cooperate with the police but the scooterist, Sam, sung.

And the footage was probably crucial to extracting the confession. "Look, son, we've got you on video, you're going down for it, it's just up to you how long for ..."

 

[cd365]

It is just that in my experience, the police have always said that video evidence without seeing the face is very flimsy. So in this instance I couldn't see how much help it was at all; just playing devil's advocate!