Burglary Gang Jailed For Series Of House Raids


The areas they targeted included Wimbledon

Four men have been jailed for a series of burglaries in London and the home counties, including two in Wimbledon.

In November 2014, officers from Westminster Crime Squad identified a group of burglars targeting areas of Wimbledon, Westminster and Barnet as well as addresses in Surrey and Buckinghamshire.

As a result of their investigation, three men were arrested on December 17 2014 as they sought to make off after burgling two flats in Gloucester Place, Westminster.

They were Reece Williams, aged, 23 of Lisson Street, NW1; Ruben Taveras Pinto, 62, and Fawaz Abdul, 24, of Mary Adelaide House, W2.

A fourth man, Mohammed Sabri, 24, of Hall Place, W2 was seen in Gloucester Place, but he evaded arrest. He was subsequently arrested on March 2.

Following further detective work and analysis of forensic evidence, the four men were found to be linked to 15 residential burglaries between 5 November and 17 December 2014. The group broke into premises by forcing patio doors and windows and once inside they would steal high value jewellery as well as electrical items such as laptops and phones.

Between them they specifically admitted involvement in burglaries at St Mary's Road and Melrose Avenue, Wimbledon on 5 November 2014, Gregories Road, Beaconsfield on 8 November 2014, Parklands Drive, Finchley on 9 December 2014 and the two burglaries at Gloucester Place on 17 December 2014.

Abdul, Sabri and Taveras Pinto pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, 18 May, to conspiracy to commit burglary. Williams initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty on 1 June. They were jailed on Tuesday (June 30).

Williams and Abdul received four years, Sabri 40 months, and Taveras Pinto two years

Detective Constable Rebecca Shaw said: "I am glad that this prolific burgling team have been bought to justice. The Crime Squad worked tirelessly on this investigation to identify and bring to justice those responsible, which I hope will be of some consolation to the victims of these burglaries."

July 2, 2015