Two Tooting thieves convicted of Streatham moped robbery

Two men riding a scooter who mugged a woman were jailed for a total of seven years on Monday, 18 June.

Recco Williams and Reuben Blakeway, both from Tooting, snatched a bag from a woman walking home from work in Streatham and were caught on CCTV using her cards to buy items at a nearby shop.

Williams, 21, of Gatton Road, Tooting, was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court to four years and 10 weeks in prison:
• Robbery – four years’ imprisonment
• Three frauds – one month imprisonment per count, to run concurrently
• Breach of a suspended sentence order – 10 weeks imprisonment, to run consecutively

Blakeway, 18, of Undine Street, Tooting, was sentenced to a total of two years, 11 months and one week:
• Robbery – two years’ and 10 months imprisonment
• Three frauds – one month imprisonment per count, to run concurrently
• Breach of a suspended sentence order – five weeks’ imprisonment, to run consecutively

Both defendants were convicted of the robbery offence. They had both pleaded guilty to fraud on Wednesday, 13 June at the same court.

Their 24-year-old victim was attacked walking home from Streatham Common train station along Streatham Vale at 7.05pm on February 15. When she reached the junction of Churchmore Road a moped with two people on it mounted the pavement. The pillion passenger violently snatched her handbag, which included her iPhone and several credit cards, wrenching it from her shoulder and pulling her towards the ground. The riders then sped away.

A member of the public came to the victim’s aid and allowed her to call the police from his phone. She also managed to cancel two of her cards but was told by her bank that her card had been used three times in a supermarket and shop in Tooting not long after the robbery. She was able to get details of their frauds and passed the information to police.

Officers were then able to download CCTV from the shops, which identified Recco Williams and Reuben Blakeway.

Officers arrested Williams at home in Gatton Road on Friday, 23 February where he was detained and arrested and later charged for robbery, and fraud by false representation. Blakeway handed himself in at a South London police station on Monday, 5 March and was questioned regarding the robbery and fraud and was also charged with both offences.

Detective Constable Jack Kraushaar, Metropolitan Police Service said: “Police are working hard to keep the public safe and make the streets hostile territory for criminals who use scooters to snatch valuables from members of the public.

“This was a fantastic result, which has seen vicious scooter robbers receive lengthy prison time. These sentences send out a strong message that such incidents will be dealt with robustly by the Met and by the courts.”