Followed her home as they drove around the city looking for victims

A gang of violent thieves who targeted a woman coming home to Chiswick from a night out have been convicted of robbery.

A court heard that the gang drove around London on March 1st last year, looking for potential vulnerable victims.

They spotted the 59-year old woman withdrawing cash from an ATM in Kensington High Street shortly after midnight and singled her out. She had been on a night out with friends.

At first two of the men watched over her shoulder as she put in her Pin Number at the machine. They then followed her as she travelled home in a taxi and knocked at her door.

When she answered she was knocked to the floor and two of the gang ran in and snatched her handbag. Her bank card was used to buy goods valued at over £2,000.

Sean Hylton, (23), of Abbey Road, E15, and Nsimba Malungo, (23) of Abbey Rd, E15, were convicted of robbery and fraud following a trial at Kingston Crown Court (25 Nov)

A third man, Imran Naiim, (21), Ranelagh Rd, E6, was also convicted of robbery and fraud in his absence and a bench warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Younis Kamali, (19) of Priory Rd, E6, was found not guilty of robbery but found guilty of fraud.

The court was told that at approximately 00:30hrs March 1, 2013, while being driven around London they singled out a 59-year-old woman who was travelling home after a night out with friends.

During her fare home in a licensed Hackney carriage, she was spotted by the group withdrawing money in Kensington High Street.

Two of the men got out of the car they were travelling in and compromised her pin number by 'shoulder surfing'.

One claimed that the cash machine was broken while the other watched as she inputted her pin number. The victim withdrew money and took no notice and continued with her onward journey.

Upon entering her house in Chiswick she then heard a knock on the door. She answered the door to see two youths stood in the doorway.

One of the gang barged the door with such force that it connected with her face knocking her to the floor. Both youths then ran into the house, picked up her handbag and ran off down the street.

It later became apparent that a credit card belonging to the victim had been compromised and goods in excess of £2,000 had been purchased within 12 hours.

The incident was investigated by officers from the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit based at Hounslow who used extensive CCTV imagery to identify the vehicle involved and subsequently catch the gang.

They will be sentenced on December 18 at Kingston Crown Court.

Minicab driver Alexandra Pascu, (30) of Pickering Road, Barking, was found not guilty of all charges.

Detective Inspector Neil John of the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit at based at Hounslow said: "This was a calculated and vicious attack on a lone vulnerable lady in her own home'

"A thorough and relentless investigation was undertaken by officers from the Serious and Acquisitive Crime Unit at Hounslow Police Station leading to the arrest of all the gang members who had believed they were out of reach of police. The conviction today demonstrates that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated."

November 26, 2014