Four men jailed for multi-million-pound ram-raid burglaries
Mon 03 Jul 2023
The organized criminal group targeted commercial premises during nighttime burglaries using stolen high-end vehicles, mostly Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) like Range Rovers and Land Rovers.
They would ram-raid the locations, stealing cash machines, jewellery, and cash boxes before escaping. To evade detection, they would also switch stolen number plates onto the vehicles.
The four men pleaded guilty to a total of 14 burglaries, 33 thefts, three attempted burglaries, and an attempted theft.
Their crime spree took place from 14 November 2021 to 19 August 2022 in various locations across north and west London, as well as in Dorset, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire. They used various technical methods to steal vehicles without keys and disable tracking systems.
Three of the men were caught red-handed stealing cash boxes from an Esso petrol station and Tesco Express outlet in Reading. They were found in possession of stolen cashboxes, tools, and weapons. These men were identified as William Connors from Hayes, Darren Eastaugh from Feltham, and Anthony Rodwell from Ashford.
A fourth member of the group, Sebastian Gnyp, of Allenby Road, Southall, was arrested later and found to possess a device used to block trackers in stolen cars.
The estimated value of the thefts amounted to over £1.2 million, while the damages to vehicles and properties were estimated at £1.8 million. The business owners who had to close for repairs suffered losses of nearly £1.5 million in earnings.
In the court proceedings at Isleworth Crown Court on 29 June 2023, Connors and Eastaugh were each sentenced to six years and six months in jail, Rodwell was sentenced to five years and ten months, and Gnyp received a three-year sentence.
Detective Constable Pippa Bregazzi from the Met's Flying Squad emphasized the ruthlessness of the criminals, who used cars as battering rams to access shops' tills and cash machines, displaying no concern for their victims. She expressed relief that they were brought to justice and will face lengthy jail terms.
Detective Inspector Ari Yoganathan, the Senior Investigating Officer from the Flying Squad, commended the dedicated efforts of the detectives who worked collaboratively with other police forces and partners in the vehicle industry to apprehend this dangerous and disruptive Organized Crime Group.
Thankfully, no members of the public were injured during these offenses, but their actions caused significant damage and financial hardship to many businesses and vehicle owners across London and the Home Counties.
Image: Sebastian Patryk Gnyp (Met Police)
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