An organised gang that used high-powered maxi-scooters to help commit crimes has been imprisoned following attacks around London. Police suspect that keeping the group off the roads has helped reduce moped-related violence in the area by 52%.
The group, pictured above were (top row left to right) John McFadyen, Aaron Pask, Issac McFadyen and Joshua Strong-Myers. (Middle Row left to right) Mitchell Leaver, Kian Taylor, Omar Tafat and Ram Monk. (Bottom row left to right) Scott Leaver, Ryan Moran, Steven Weller and Terry Marsh.
They are all part of a moped gang who have been jailed for a string of bold “professional, planned and organised” high profile raids across London.
The group became known to police officers when they carried out the robbery of the clothing store in High Street Kensington. The assaults they carried cost the company £80,000 in damages. They also targeted three firms robbing electronic equipment.
Investigators required from the authorities to review large amounts of mobile information to tie the suspects to the crimes, because there was no DNA evidence. Between July 2017 and June 2018 occurred one of the most high-profile crimes carried out by the group – the stealing of BBC video equipment recording the Oxford vs Cambridge regatta.
Judge Georgina Kent said the four gang members were captured on the CCTV attacking a mother with a child in the daytime. Pheobe Ruele was walking with her son when two motorcycles walked past the street, turned in to the street and waited for her. Video shows the mother carrying her baby onto the road before the scaffolders, armed with scaffolding rods, drove the gang away.
The suspects were between 19 and 36 years of age, and have been connected to ringleader Terry Marsh. Since Tafat, Myers and Taylor’s detention in May, five more gang members were captured in July last
year, while the other perpetrators were imprisoned later.
The following people were sentenced:
Tafat was sentenced to eight years and five months for attempting to loot, attempted robbery, stealing and attempted theft of BBC equipment, assault, common assault to a police vehicle, and violation of a court code of conduct.
Myers was sentenced to eight years in a juvenile offender’s prison and banned from riding, for attempted theft, armed robbery, vandalism to a police vehicle, careless driving, driving while intoxicated, ownership of an incendiary weapon, and conspiracy to steal and an offensive force at the court.
Taylor was sentenced to nine years and four months in a juvenile offender’s prison and banned from riding. He was sentenced for the same offences as Myers.
Steven Weller, Marsh, and Moran were convicted to six years and seven months, thirteen years and two months, and 24 months, respectively, for conspiracy to ransom, steal, and burglar.
John McFadyen is imprisoned for 32 months after pleading guilty to a theft plot, while his son Isaac, was sentenced to 32 months in a juvenile offender’s prison.
Mitchell Leaver and Leaver were convicted on 12 months and 56 months, respectively, after accepting a conspiracy to burgle. Aaron Pask was sentenced to six years and eight months after he was accused of planning to burgle, attempting to rob, and burglary, while Ram Monk was convicted for conspiracy to burgle. He was sentenced to two years and eight months.
With these small-time gangsters off the streets, London’s moped-enabled crime has seen a noticeable reduction, according to the Metropolitan Police.