£292k Jewels Snatched in Brazen Daylight Raid
Five men have been found guilty of a daring smash-and-grab at Danyaal Jewellers in Sparkbrook, stealing jewellery worth a staggering £292,165. The gang crashed a stolen Toyota Hilux into the shop’s front on March 3 last year, smashing display cabinets and grabbing the loot in broad daylight.
Armed Gang Terrorise Shoppers with Sledgehammers and Axe
Three masked men wielding sledgehammers stormed inside, breaking into two cabinets to stuff jewellery into bags. Meanwhile, a fourth man stayed at the stolen Hilux as a getaway driver, and a fifth brandished an axe, aggressively threatening onlookers to keep them back.
The dramatic raid was caught live on jewellers’ CCTV and by stunned members of the public filming on their phones.
Five Guilty in Four-Week Trial at Birmingham Crown Court
The men convicted are John Gourlay (49), Trevor Leek (44), Justin Boylan (51), Arfan Latif (38), and Hassan Zulfiqar (26). Gourlay had already admitted stealing the Hilux and related frauds. Leek was cleared of one theft charge over the Hilux but found guilty of conspiracy to rob and possession of an offensive weapon.
- The gang used three vehicles: a black Land Rover Discovery, the stolen white Toyota Hilux, and a black Toyota Corolla.
- The Land Rover and Corolla blocked the street as the Hilux rammed the store.
- A staff member inside narrowly escaped serious injury from falling debris.
- After the heist, the gang fled in the Land Rover and Hilux, ditching the Corolla at the scene.
- CCTV showed them abandoning the vehicles and escaping in a stolen Audi TTS and BMW 420.
Police Praise ‘Tenacity’ After Thorough Investigation
Detective Constable Patrick Fuldun said: “This was a meticulously planned armed robbery with disguises, vehicle switches and phone tricks. The daylight attack on a busy street must have horrified witnesses. The staff member inside was lucky to escape serious harm.”
The police linked the men through phone data, fingerprints, CCTV, and recovered stolen jewellery tags at one suspect’s home. Evidence included receipts for fake number plates and proof of jewellery sales. The gang’s careful coordination unraveled under close investigation by West Midlands Police.
All five men will be sentenced next month, facing justice for this violent daylight raid in Sparkbrook.
