Islington’s smash and grab shame was thrown back into the spotlight this week, after three men – and one boy – from the borough were jailed for a combined 20 years for a jewellery shop robbery.
On Wednesday, August 5, the group, along with two men from Hillingdon, travelled to Norwich in a van and robbed watches worth £30,000 from the shop.
On Tuesday, Alfredo Rojasvagras, 24, of Jays Street, Barnsbury; Bradley McMillan, 22, of Dewey Road, Islington; Mark Moloney, 18, of Whewell Road, Upper Holloway; Dillon Zambon, 17, of Leirum Street, Barnsbury, were jailed at Norwich Crown Court with the two Hillingdon defendants: Curtis Bradbury, 21, and Tommy McKenzie, 25,
They are the latest Islington gang to have been sentenced for smash and grab raids this year.
In May, four teenagers were jailed for a combined 30 years after £300,000 raids last year, including two at The Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair in the space of a month.
And in July, two Islington men were jailed for a total 19 years after separate jewellery hauls, also last year.
After arriving in Norwich in a van, the group jailed this week mounted mopeds, with a driver and passenger on each, to target Windsor Bishop jewellers.
The passengers used pickaxes and sledge hammers to smash their way in. After threatening guards, they made off with Cartier and Rolex watches worth £30,000.
The men then got back on the mopeds and rode off through the city and down the A11 back towards London.
Dozens of passers-by gathered around the shop witnessed the raid and Norfolk Police received more than 40 calls, which allowed officers to quickly identify the suspects.
Many filmed the raid on mobile phones and this, along with CCTV footage, allowed detectives to piece together events.
A police helicopter was deployed and the force found the suspects in a wooded area near Thetford within an hour of the raid.
Each member of the group had previously admitted robbery charges at Norwich Crown Court.
Rojasvagras and McMillan both received six-year sentences. Moloney was jailed for five years, while Zambon received three years in young offenders’ institutes.
Bradbury, of St Dunstans Close, was jailed for 11 years, and McKenzie, of East Road, for six years.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here