This is the moment a gang behind a series of mobile phone shop robberies were caught in the act by undercover police as they attempted another raid.
Ringleader Sammie Govera, 32, fled the O2 store on High Street, Sutton in south London with other suspects.
But the Metropolitan Police’s elite Flying Squad - who had them under surveillance - moved in to block their getaway vehicle before pursuing them on foot and arresting them.
Govera’s syndicate hit six O2 and Three shops in Lewisham, Woolwich, Wood Green, Haringey and Colliers Wood in 2025, stealing tens of thousands of pounds’ worth of handsets.
In one, masked men entered a Three outlet in Woolwich and demanded access to the storeroom at 10am on May 28.
But staff triggered a panic alarm and the gangsters fled.
An hour later, an offender forced his way into the backroom of a second Three store in the same borough. He and an accomplice escaped with around £30,000 of phones.
During another offence at lunchtime on June 7, four masked men threatened and assaulted O2 staff before stealing 21 phones in Colliers Wood.
At Croydon Crown Court, Govera, 32, of The Redlands, Newport was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery.
Awaiting sentence for their parts alongside six others are: Thomas Davidson, 71, of Greystock Avenue, Southmead; Saleem Ramzan, 49, of Chipstead Avenue, Manchester; Louis Pandanzyla, 18, of Clarence Avenue, Upminster; and a fourth defendant under 18 who cannot be named for legal reasons.
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They were remanded and will be sentenced on July 15.
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Hillier, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “We know how much distress these crimes cause staff and the wider impact they have on businesses in our community, which is why we are absolutely determined to stop this offending.
“Our detectives worked quickly, trawling through CCTV, phone data and forensic evidence to identify and arrest these thieves.
“Their convictions should serve as a clear message to anyone who thinks they can carry out robberies: we will find you and we will bring you to justice.
“Londoners deserve to feel safe in their communities and we will continue to use every tool available – including working with retail and industry partners – to protect them and ensure these violent criminals are taken off our streets.”
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Stuart Seymour, Virgin Media O2’s director of security, added: “The safety of our people and our customers is always our number one priority, and we won’t sit back while criminal gangs use intimidation and violence against them.
“These convictions, which we’ve worked hand in hand with law enforcement to secure, show that targeting mobile phone stores absolutely does not pay and we’re pleased to see these criminals brought to justice.
“We have built, enhanced and improved security measures within stores and developed mechanisms with the police to ensure faster reaction times and evidence gathering leading to arrests. We will not cease fighting back and protecting our people and customers.”
The Met said it had cut mobile phone theft offences in London by 10,000 in the past year, following its largest ever crackdown on snatchers.
Officers are deploying cutting-edge technology, such as drones, high-powered e-bikes and live facial recognition, to catch offenders and significantly disrupt the stolen device market.
