Three men have admitted carrying out a violent smash-and-grab robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond after stealing watches worth around £225,000.
The Metropolitan Police said the trio pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob at Kingston Crown Court following an investigation by the force’s Flying Squad.
Deniz Mehmet, 28, of Eltham Drive, Belvedere, admitted the offence on Friday, July 10.
Two other men had already entered guilty pleas at the same court on Friday, May 22:
- Robert Clarke, 50, of Lever Trane, Rochford, Essex.
- Lee Ramsey, 46, of Haslingwood Road, Harlow, Essex.
All three men were remanded into custody and are due to be sentenced on Friday, July 24.
Sledgehammer attack caught on camera
The robbery took place at a jewellers in Paved Court, Richmond, on Saturday, January 31.
Footage of the raid, widely shared online, showed the offenders smashing the shop window with a sledgehammer before stealing luxury watches valued at approximately £225,000 and fleeing the scene.
Detectives from the Met’s Flying Squad launched an immediate investigation, reviewing extensive CCTV, carrying out forensic enquiries and recovering a vehicle believed to have been used during the robbery.
The investigation led to the arrests of Clarke and Ramsey on Tuesday, March 31, while Mehmet was arrested on Wednesday, April 8.
‘We will pursue you relentlessly’
Detective Superintendent Dan Mitchell, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “Robberies of this kind cause real concern for residents and businesses in the communities that are targeted. It’s they who feel the immediate impact.
“These guilty pleas mark a significant step in what has been a detailed and determined investigation. I hope they demonstrate our commitment to tackling smash-and-grab robberies in London by going after those involved, wherever they are.
“The groups responsible should be under no illusion – we will pursue you relentlessly and hold you to account.”
The Metropolitan Police said it remains committed to tackling robbery and acquisitive crime across London, adding that neighbourhood crime fell by 15.6% during the last financial year, including reductions in theft from the person, vehicle crime and personal robbery.
