A pair of teenagers who went on a central London crime spree on a stolen moped have been jailed.
Michael Moss, 19, of Lloyd Baker Street, Islington and Wade Spencer, 18, of Newington Green, Islington were jailed for a total of 36 months at Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday, July 20.
With Moss driving the moped and Spencer riding pillion, the duo carried out a string of thefts snatching phones and a headset from pedestrians in central London within a matter of minutes on the evening of May 31.
Shortly after 11.30pm the youths mounted the pavement in Guildford Street and drove up behind a man, robbing him off his phone after a brief struggle.
They then moved on to Holborn Circus where they snatched a phone and headset from a man as he waited outside a shop at around 11.40pm.
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Moments later police spotted the pair near Russell Square riding onto the pavement behind two members of public.
Officers pursued the scooter, which was speeding at 45mph in a 20mph area, and indicated at it to stop, which it didn't.
Moss and Spencer eventually abandoned the vehicle and ran off towards Kingsway in different directions.
They both threw away items and clothing as they went.
Moss was caught and detained by members of the public while Spencer was detained by officers.
The items they had stolen and the clothes they had discarded were recovered - as was the abandoned scooter.
The owner of the phone stolen in Guildford Street had activated the Find My iPhone app and tracked it to where police had detained Spencer.
The stolen headset was found attached to the abandoned scooter and CCTV footage showed the theft in Holborn Circus.
Moss was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for robbery, 12 months’ imprisonment for theft person to run concurrently, six months’ for aggravated vehicle taking and driving away and dangerous driving to run concurrently, he was disqualified from driving for one year.
He was handed a criminal behaviour order for three years and was also found guilty of driving without insurance and licence and failing to stop for police, which were all left to lie on file.
Spencer received 18 months’ imprisonment for robbery, 12 months’ imprisonment for theft person to run concurrently, he was disqualified from driving for one year for allowing himself to be carried by Moss. He was given a criminal behaviour order for three years.
