These pictures show the dramatic scenes of three violent teenager robbers who stole almost £30,000 at knife-point.
Eighteen-year-old Ashley Samuel of Granville Road, Ilford, and 19-year-old Yahya Ahmed of Blackthorn Road Ilford, were sentenced to 25 years in jail at Snaresbrook Crown Court along with 19-year-old Mohamed Sayid of Grantham Road, Newham, this afternoon.
The gang carried out their “brutal” robberies on 24-hour gaming arcades during the early hours when they knew they would be least busy and wore masks to disguise their identities.
They robbed City Slots Amusements in High Road, Ilford, three separate times between April and July last year as well as Quicksilver Amusements in High Road Ilford and five other gaming arcades across London.
Samuel, Ahmed and Sayid stole a total of £27,700 during their spree of armed robberies after forcing victims to hand over the cash by threatening them with a 25cm kitchen knife and a screwdriver which had been sharpened into a deadly point.
One 28-year-old man narrowly avoided getting stabbed by Sayid by blocking the attack with his bare hands at Cashino in High Street North, Barking.
In a statement made just after the incident he said: “During this robbery I feared for my life like I have never feared before.
“All I could see in front of my face was my baby boy’s face – he is only four months old and I am sure I am here to protect him and look after him throughout his life.
“I feared my life was about to end with me being stabbed to death during this robbery.”
The victim was punched in the back of the head during the robbery which resulted in severe swelling.
The three men also hired taxis from an Ilford-based firm to use as getaway cars.
They paid the drivers to wait for them near the target venues but far enough away so as not to arouse suspicion and would return to the cabs with all evidence of the robberies hidden in their holdalls.
Samuel, Ahmed and Sayid were arrested on July 17 when the Met’s flying squad intercepted their taxi as they returned from robbing a Cashino in High Road, Wood Green. Money, clothing and weapons used during the crime were found in the car.
They were each sentenced to eight years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to rob at Snaresbrook Crown Court last month.
The investigating officer, DC Brad Weston of the flying squad, said: “These men were violent and brutal in their pursuit of money.
“One of the victims narrowly escaped being stabbed and it does not bear thinking about how this might have ended if they had succeeded.
“Fortunately, none of the victims were seriously injured, although they have all suffered the mental and emotional after-effects of their horrendous experience.”
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