A violent gang has been jailed for a total of 87-and-a-half years for more than 30 commercial robberies across the capital and Home Counties.

The nine members of a 13 strong group, which included members from Streatham, Croydon, Tulse Hill and Tooting, were jailed after pleading guilty to their roles in a robbery conspiracy at Kingston Crown Court.

The Flying Squad at Barnes led the operation, named Sumatra, into the offences in which £300,000 was stolen. The gang's leader, Nana Obeng Ansong, described as a Fagin type character by the Met, enlisted men from around the Lambeth area to help him commit the robberies.

Ansong, 22, from Ireton House, Overton Road, Brixton, would plan the raids - mainly on travel agents with bureaux de change facilities - and act as one of a couple of lookouts for the gang.

The robbers then stole large amounts of cash and foreign currency.

Although no guns were used during the raids the robbers would prentend they were armed, terrifying their victims.

advertisementBecause the gang members would change from offence to offence it was a challenge for officers to identify all those concerned.

But a surveillance operation finally led officers to Ansong on February 23 last year. He was arrested with three others at the scene of a robbery in Queensway where members threatened staff and stole cash from the safe.

Detective Constable Dan Williams from the Met's Flying Squad said: "These were a gang of determined and violent robbers, who systematically targeted travel industry premises, terrorising the staff as they went. By working in partnership with The Association of British Travel Agents ( ABTA) and other police constabularies, we were able to disrupt this large criminal network and enhance crime prevention within the affected premises.

"The Flying Squad is in an ideal position to target and dismantle such gangs wherever they operate. The sentences passed should act as a deterrent for those thinking of engaging in this type of crime."

The sentences in full

  • Nana Obeng Ansong, 30, unemployed of Ireton House, Overton Road, Brixton. Sentenced to 11 years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Isaac Obeng-Ansong, 22, unemployed of Ireton House, Overton Road, Brixton. Sentenced to seven years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Daniel Martin, 23, unemployed of Asheligh House, Curtis Field, Streatham. Sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Jermaine Atkins, 20, unemployed of The Grove, Coulsdon. Sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Miles Wilson, 19, unemployed of Leckhampton Place, Brixton. Sentenced to seven years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Christopher White, 22, unemployed of Oaksfield road, Croydon. Sentenced to six-and-a-half years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Jerome Marshalleck, 24, unemployed of Fitzalan Street, Lambeth. Sentenced to six years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Marvin Hughes, 21, unemployed of Woodruff House, Tulse Hill estate,Streatham Hill. Sentenced to five-and-a-half years for three counts of robbery.
  • Shaun Atkins, 20,unemployed of Franciscan Road, Tooting Bec. Sentenced to five-and-a-half years for conspiracy to rob.
  • Teddy Bright, 29, unemployed of Coral Apartments, Western Gateway, Newham. Sentenced in January to six years for conspiracy to rob and possession of heroin with intent to supply.
  • Edmond Brown, 22, unemployed of Coates Close, Thornton Heath. Sentenced to seven years in 2007 for conspiracy to rob.
  • Denzil Simms, 25, of Cornwall Square, Kennings Way, Lambeth. Sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in 2007 for conspiracy to rob.
  • Courtney Jarrett, 20, unemployed of Flodden Road, Camberwell. Sentenced to three-and-a-half years in 2007 for conspiracy to rob.