Kingston Crown Court has sentenced ten members of a violent robbery gang — including four Nigerians — to a combined 55 years in prison for their roles in a string of coordinated attacks on mobile phone stores across London.
The gang, described by police as “organized, ruthless, and highly mobile,” was responsible for a series of raids that netted over £240,000 worth of high-end mobile phones and electronic devices.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the criminals stormed multiple outlets in rapid succession, using force and intimidation to overpower staff before fleeing with boxes of valuable gadgets. The targeted stores suffered significant losses, and several employees were left traumatized by the violent encounters.
Detectives said the gang operated with military-like precision, striking within minutes and escaping in stolen vehicles or on motorbikes to evade pursuit. But months of intelligence gathering, CCTV tracking, and digital forensics eventually led investigators to the culprits.
During sentencing, Judge Fiona Barrie condemned the group’s “premeditated and brazen acts of violence,” saying their actions posed “a serious threat to public safety and business confidence.”
Among those sentenced were four Nigerian nationals, identified as key players in planning and executing the robberies. The others, including British and Eastern European accomplices, were convicted of conspiracy to rob, handling stolen goods, and possession of offensive weapons.
Speaking after the verdict, Detective Inspector James Mather of the Met Police’s Flying Squad praised the outcome as “a major victory against organized retail crime.”
“These men terrorized shop staff and thought they could get away with it,” he said. “But meticulous investigation and cooperation with the public helped us bring them to justice.”
He added that the case serves as a warning to criminal gangs exploiting retail outlets: “No matter how sophisticated your operation seems, we will track you down.”
The court also ordered the confiscation of luxury cars and cash recovered during the arrests, believed to be proceeds of the robbery spree.
The convicted gang members will serve their sentences in various UK prisons, bringing an end to a months-long wave of violent phone store raids that rattled London’s retail sector.
