Cash in Transit thieves sentenced to a total of 22 years
16 October 2012
Today (Tuesday, 16 October) at Wood Green Crown Court five men have been sentenced to a total of 22 years and six months imprisonment for their part in a series of cash in transit robberies across London and Hertfordshire.
Mounir Boufas, 26yrs (10/10/86), of Flat 22, Dicksee House, Lyons Place NW8 8NH, Jamie Gillman, 25yrs (16/08/87), of Flat 16 Lillestone House, Frampton Street NW8 8LJ; Richard Kelly, 22yrs (04/01/90), of no fixed abode, Jamie Reardon, 30yrs (15/02/82), of no fixed abode and Christopher Murphy, 26yrs (25/12/85), of no fixed abode had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob cash in transit custodians at an earlier hearing.
They were today (Tuesday 16 October) sentenced to the following -
Monir Boufas was sentenced to five years; Jamie Gillman to five years four months; Richard Kelly to four years and four months; Jamie Reardon to four years and six months and Christopher Murphy to three years and four months.
The court heard that Operation Vanna was launched by Finchley Flying Squad into a linked series of cash in transit (CIT) robberies and other related offences (burglaries, theft of cars and number plates and laundering of the proceeds of the robberies).
The offences were linked by methodology, commonality of vehicles used in the offences, forensic, CCTV and ANPR evidence against all five defendants.
On 12th June 2012 Mounir Boufas, Jamie Gillman, Richard Kelly and Jamie Reardon were arrested by officers from Finchley Flying Squad whilst committing a cash in transit robbery in St Peter's Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire. Richard Kelly was detained at the scene whilst Mounir Boufas, Jamie Gillman and Jamie Reardon left the scene in a stolen BMW. In doing so they struck a member of the public with the stolen vehicle fracturing his ankle. All three were detained shortly afterwards with Jamie Reardon being detained on a bus traveling to Watford after a member of the public who witnessed the robbery then saw Reardon get on the same bus.
All four men were brought back to London and subsequently charged. They pleaded guilty to the conspiracy on 5th September 2012 at Wood Green Crown Court. Additionally Christopher Murphy was identified from CCTV as being responsible for an attempted cash in transit robbery on 8th May 2012 in Mill Hill along with Mounir Boufas and Jamie Gillman. He was produced from prison, where he was remanded on unrelated matters, and charged with the conspiracy on 28th June 2012.
DCI Harry Hennigan, said: "I am pleased with the convictions and sentences given to these five men.
"Such was the amount of evidence gathered against them by the Flying Squad that they had no option but to plead guilty.
"We are committed to using our expertise and professionalism, often working with other force areas, to ensure we bring perpetrators to justice".
Details of the offences in chronological order:
Money Laundering - On 12th August 2011 Mounir Boufas entered Corals bookmakers in Edgware Road W2. He is seen to place £160 in dye stained £10 notes into a gaming machine. These notes were part of £25,000 stolen during a cash in transit robbery the previous day at Barclays Bank, Baker Street W1.
Attempted Robbery (CIT) - On 8th May 2012 an attempted CIT robbery occurred outside the Lloyds TSB Bank, 127 Mill Hill Broadway NW7 where Christopher Murphy attempted to rob a G4S custodian of a cash box containing £25,000. Mounir Boufas and Jamie Gillman were in a stolen Mercedes nearby. Following the attempt all three travelled in the Mercedes to Gervase Road HA8 where they abandoned the Mercedes and caught a mini cab from the area. Christopher Murphy was later identified as the robber from the bank CCTV by police officers. Earlier that day Christopher Murphy was captured on CCTV, having been in Barclays Bank, Station Road, Edgware and the Lloyds TSB in Baker Street NW1. On both occasions Boufas and Gillman are in company with Murphy in the stolen Mercedes.
Money Laundering - On 30th May 2012 at G-STAR, Unit 1144, Westfield Shopping Centre, Ariel Way W12 Jamie Reardon and Richard Kelly are seen on CCTV to enter the store and buy clothing to the value of £140. They paid for this clothing using seven dye stained £20 notes. These notes were part of £38,000 stolen during a robbery at the Santander in Finchley Road NW11 five days earlier.
Robbery (CIT) - On 11th June 2012 a G4S custodian was making a delivery at Barclays Bank. He was in the banking hall of the bank when Jamie Gillman barged him from behind and stole a cash bag containing £25,000 before running from the banking hall in the company of two other males.
Christopher Murphy was additionally sentenced to two years six months imprisonment to run consecutively for one count of burglary with 21 other burglaries taken into consideration