Met crack down on thefts after spate of robberies in Croydon

The Met have announced a crackdown on thefts in Croydon following a spate of robberies across the borough.

Across Croydon, officers are being deployed to robbery hotspots and plain clothed officers will regularly patrol areas to identify suspicious behaviour and make arrests. 

The crack down comes following a series of convictions for robbery and theft in the area.

Two teenagers aged 16 and 17 – and who cannot be named for legal reasons – pleaded guilty to counts of robbery, attempted robbery and attempted grievous bodily harm at Croydon Crown Court on August 20.

Both were sentenced earlier this month at Bromley Magistrates Court and were issued with referral orders. 

The sentencing came following an investigation into a spree of robberies across Croydon and Bromley on August 5, including a report from a victim who had been robbed at knifepoint.

Officers identified the suspects with CCTV analysis which also led them to recover two discarded kitchen knives from the scene of the attack.

Once identified, cops tracked back through other robbery reports on the day of the offence, as well as reports from previous days. This involved analysing phone records which proved that the pair were responsible for eight other robberies across South London. 

The Met track down Amari Scott after he snatched a phone out of a woman’s hand whilst on a push bike (Picture: The Met)

In another recent case concerning multiple victims, a man was arrested following a succession of robberies in Croydon and Lambeth.

On March 6, a woman in Croydon had her iPhone snatched out of her hands by an offender on a push bike. The woman reported the incident to Croydon Police Station. 

Less than an hour later, a report came into police that another victim had had their phone stolen while they waited for a bus. 

Amari Scott, 20, of Wrythe Lane, Sutton, was arrested after police used real-time phone tracking data to locate him and found him in possession of the stolen phones.

While arresting him, officers also recovered a stolen motorbike. 

Scott was sentenced to four years in a Young Offenders Institution on May 30.  

Chief Inspector James Weston said: “We understand the impact that robbery has on victims – it is invasive and frightening. 

“That’s why our teams are working so hard to deter and catch offenders to reassure our local community. 

“Thanks to the hard work of officers, our partners and community grassroots organisations, we are stepping up our efforts and tackling the issues that matter most to the people of Croydon.” 

Pictured top: Amari Scott, 20, of Wrythe Lane, Sutton,was sentenced to four years in a Young Offenders Institution (Picture: The mET)