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Queen’s Park motorbike thieves jailed for brazen armed attacks
Thomas McDermott and Hisham Tawfik both from Queen's Park (Picture: Met Police) - Credit: Archant
Two robbers from Queen’s Park who stole motorbikes and jewellery while armed with knives and angle grinders have been jailed for more than 15 years.
George Fitzgerald (Picture: Met Police) - Credit: Archant
Thomas McDermott, 24, of Kilburn Lane, and Hisham Tawfik, 20, of Beethoven Street, scouted out high value motorbikes and threatened passers-by who tried to stop them stealing them, Southwark Crown Court heard.
The duo, and 17-year-old George Fitzgerald from Dagenham, were sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty at earlier hearings.
The court heard police from Westminster’s crime squad launched two separate investigations, one into a spate of motorbike thefts and the other on moped-enabled robberies between December 2016 and June 2017.
They identified McDermott and Tawfik, who were suspected of both types of robbery.
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On December 6, the duo threatened pedestrians who tried to stop them stealing a bike in Soho Square with knives and angle grinders.
On June 22, McDermott and Fitzgerald were both riding a stolen vehicle in St John’s Wood and robbed a 35-year-old male at knifepoint, stealing his Rolex watch.
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Four days later, a 45-year-old woman was walking towards the Kings Road in Chelsea when she was knocked to the ground by McDermott and robbed at knifepoint while Fitzgerald waited on a getaway stolen moped.
McDermott was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit robbery, seven counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft of motorcycles.
Tawfik received three years’ jail for seven counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft of motorcycles.
Fitzgerald was handed a five-year sentence for five counts of robbery.
Det Con Russell Farmer, who investigated the robberies, said: “We hope today’s sentencing serves as some deterrent to those intent on committing moped-enabled offences that the Met will find them and bring them to justice.”
Det Con Vic Barkes, who investigated the motorbike thefts, added: “We’re pleased to have put these three behind bars for their brazen crimes. I’m convinced that Londoners will be all the safer for it.”
