Jewellery thieves jailed
28 May 2011
On Friday 27 May a group of thieves were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to over fifty years imprisonment in total for a series of robberies on gem dealers.
The five men and one woman were responsible for a string of robberies from March 2010 to their arrest in September 2010 which are believed to have netted the gang in excess of £1million.
DC Daniel Candler, of the London Crime Squad said:"The sentences are the culmination of a lengthy, complex and challenging operation."
A number of the robberies happened across London including Harrow, Barnet, Ealing and Tower Hamlets, as well as the Midlands and Scotland. Many of the victims were from overseas and were in the UK for business, travelling between London and the Midlands. They deliberately focused on specific areas of cities that are known to house many jewellery and gem businesses, and targeted jewellery merchants. On many occasions violence was used and in several robberies victims were threatened with a knife.
Items taken included diamonds and other gems, as well as a variety of jewellery. In one robbery alone, 60-70 gold rings with different gemstones amounting to an estimated value of £200,000-£300,000 were taken.
All six pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court between 4 February and 28 March 2011 to their part in eight substantive offences of theft and robbery. Charges of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to steal will lie on file.
John Bernal-Patino, 28 (27.04.83) was imprisoned for a total of 12 years in connection with six counts of robbery and two counts of theft.
Ivan Amescua, 41 (24.01.70) was sentenced to ten years and eight months for his involvement in five counts of robbery and theft.
Christiano Villamizar-Leal, 39 (24.10.71) was sentenced to ten years and eight months for six counts of robbery and theft.
Dianna Albarracin-Tovar, 34 (24.08.76) was sentenced to ten years and eight months in connection with six counts of robbery and theft.
Rodolfo Gonzalez-Ramos, 31 (28.01.80) was jailed for five years and four months for two counts of theft and 12 months, to run concurrently, for possession of a bladed article.
Luis Silva, 27 (12.01.84) was sentenced to two years for one count of theft.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's, London Crime Squad (LCS), arrested the group on 14 September 2010 following a surveillance operation.
The group used two vehicles on the day, a Citroën and a Nissan Primera, and were seen driving around the jewellery quarter of Birmingham before going to Leicester. The group travelled to an area of Leicester known locally as the "Golden Mile" a road containing predominantly jewellery shops.
The group picked their victim and while he was in a jewellery shop they slashed the tyres on his car. Bernal-Patino was directing the group what to do, Albarracin-Tovar was observing opposite the shop and Ramos kept watch on the victim inside the shop.
After leaving the shop, the victim drove off and stopped in a nearby street when it became apparent his car had a flat tyre. Bernal-Patino, Albarracin-Tovar, Ramos and Amescua were observed by police standing together watching the victim's car.
Amescua approached the victim with a roll of packing tape offering to repair the tyre with it. He repeatedly tried to get the victim away from his vehicle with the offer of a pump to inflate the tyre. While doing this, Ramos crossed the road, keeping out of view of the victim and stole two bags containing jewellery from the victim's car. He then fled with Bernal-Patino and Silva in the waiting Primera. Police quickly moved in and Amescua was arrested at the scene.
The Primera was stopped outside the offices of the Leicester Mercury and all three occupants were arrested. Villamizar-Leal who was the driver of the Citroën drove off after witnessing the arrest of Amescua - he was stopped by police and arrested. Albarracin-Tovar was seen walking quickly away from the scene. However, he was also followed by police and arrested 100 yards away.
Detective Constable Daniel Candler, of the Metropolitan Police Service's London Crime Squad, said: "This was a joint London Crime Squad and MIB intelligence led police operation against a South American organised criminal network. They were an extremely close knit, organised group who had been operating as a surveillance team, using spotters in order to select their victims and commit offences.
"They utilised a variety of methods, from distraction theft to out and out violent robbery resulting in injury. This was their sole means of income and, until our intervention had been committing violent and lucrative offences across the UK with impunity.
"The sentences are the culmination of a lengthy, complex and challenging operation. I hope that the message it sends to other organised criminal networks and likeminded individuals is that the MPS London Crime Squad, will work tirelessly to bring criminals to justice."