Men Who Robbed Lone Women in Mayfair Jailed

12 December 2012, 19:09 | Updated: 13 December 2012, 10:30

Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of diamonds and pearls were stolen in a series of attacks last year.

47 year old Gulam Gani of Bentworth Road, W11, was found guilty on Tuesday 11 December of conspiracy to rob and was sentenced today for 18 years.

Two others; 34-year-old Nicholas Lewis of Balgores Lane, Romford and 30-year-old Sean Wallace of Barandon Walk, W11 were also found guilty of the same offence and were sentenced to 20 years and 15 years respectively.

An investigation - codenamed Operation Webform - was launched following a spate of robberies in Mayfair and the surrounding areas. The gang targeted wealthy individuals - usually lone women who were wearing expensive jewellery and watches as they made their way home after an evening out.

Laying in wait as the victims entered their homes, the gang would ambush them often using violence to overpower their victims, forcibly removing their jewellery before fleeing in stolen vehicles. On some occasions and out of sheer fear the victims would remove the jewellery themselves before handing it over to the thieves.