West End Smash and Grab Duo Jailed Over £42k Heist and Violence
Alfie Atherton, 29, from Tower Hamlets, and Reed Roberts, 30, of Islington, were locked up at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 26 March. Atherton got 10 years and six months, while Roberts was handed seven and a half years behind bars.
Violent Cash Van Robbery Caught on CCTV
On 1 February 2020, a cash delivery to a supermarket in Clerkenwell Road turned into a violent heist. A masked man in a yellow fluorescent jacket attacked the custodian, forcing him to hand over a cash box containing £22,000. The thief then sped off on a moped with a getaway driver wearing a green jacket.
Witnesses saw the pair cutting open the cash box on Marjery Street with an angle grinder before fleeing with the cash. Flying Squad detectives tracked the moped to a gated car park in Flaxman Terrace and found a trail leading to the suspects’ cars and clothing.
Linked to Multiple Smash-and-Grab Burglaries
The Flying Squad linked Atherton and Roberts to a high-end store smash-and-grab on Marlborough Street, just three days earlier, stealing over £20,500 of luxury perfume and aftershave. Atherton threatened a security guard with a “Rambo” style knife during the raid.
- On 29 January, the duo used a concrete slab to smash a store window.
- Atherton carried the loot in a white rubble sack while wearing a crash helmet and black gear.
- The pair fled down Carnaby Street, dropping the knife as they escaped.
Further CCTV showed them attempting to break into two designer shops on New Bond Street on 3 March 2020 using mopeds to ram doors and smash windows, causing over £45,000 in damage.
Forensics and CCTV Crack the Case
Police raids recovered incriminating gear including yellow jackets, helmets, stolen aftershaves, and cutting disks used to open the cash box. Forensic evidence linked Atherton to the knife, concrete block, and the freshly cut cash box.
A damaged stolen moped was found in the Flaxman Terrace car park—the duo’s ‘staging area’ for their crimes. Neither man lived there or could explain their access.
Detective Constable Lenny O’Keeffe said: “Atherton and Roberts caused chaos in the West End, threatening and using violence to steal cash and luxury goods. Thanks to Flying Squad’s hard work, these criminals will now spend a long time behind bars.”
