TWO men who committed moped-enabled phone snatches before engaging police in a high-speed pursuit through London traffic have each been sentenced to over two years in prison.
The court heard how on the 17th August, a stolen moped was used in three mobile phone snatches in a half-hour period in Greenwich. Shortly after, at around 12:50, CCTV operators from Tower Hamlets observed two men on a moped acting suspiciously, and believed they were scoping out potential victims.
Local officers, traffic units and a police helicopter took up pursuit as the suspects made off from police on the stolen moped. Jack Green the driver and Tarik Oliveira the pillion made off, riding dangerously through south London as they attempted to evade officers.
The pursuit went on for around 90 minutes, before the moped collided with a bus in Coldharbour Lane, Brixton. The two suspects ran off but were detained shortly after a foot chase.
Oliveira was searched by officers, and he was in possession of five mobile phones - including those stolen in the three robberies committed just before the pursuit.
On Friday, 12 October both men pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court.
Green, 22 of Elsted Street, Southwark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving, failing to stop after the scene of a collision, failing to stop when required to do so by a police officer, driving not in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance.
His accomplice Oliveira, 19 of Curtis House, Morecambe Street, Southwark, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and allowing to be carried on a stolen vehicle. After receiving credit for their guilty pleas, Green was sentenced to 28 months and Oliveira was sentenced to 26 months for his role.
Detective Sergeant Mark Kelleher, from the Venice Investigation Team, said: "Green and Oliveira embarked on a spree of snatches where victims on their mobile phones were targeted. They were reckless and risked the public's safety by making off at speed through busy London traffic when trying to evade police, eventually colliding with another vehicle before being arrested.
"Criminals on mopeds think they have the upper hand because of their ability to make off from the scenes of their crimes and from police at speed, by weaving through traffic. In this case, a combination of good quality CCTV coverage, specialist officers, and the police helicopter meant that they had few avenues of escape.
"The Venice Investigation Team is committed to ensuring that those who commit moped-enabled crime face the consequences of their reckless and dangerous acts."
