A "violent criminal" who used a BB gun to target seven petrol stations in two months has been jailed for nine years.

Reece Whelan, of Arnold Road in Northolt , carried out a series of "extremely violent" robberies at BP, Shell, Asda and Esso petrol stations in Ruislip , Northolt and Harrow between March 29 and May 18 2017.

He had used a BB gun, sprayed black to make it appear more real, to intimidate cashiers, raking in £2,300 from six robberies, Metropolitan Police said.

On two of those occasions Whelan, 21, "pistol-whipped" the cashiers until they handed over the cash from the till.

Whelan was identified by the Met Police's flying squad, which deals with commercial robberies.

They raided his Northolt home on July 4, 2017, and found the black painted BB gun in his bedroom.

During his sixth robbery a piece broke off the BB gun and was recovered at the scene; the same piece was found in Whelan's bedroom.

Reece Whelan received nine years in jail at Kingston Crown Court

Whelan pleaded guilty to six charges of robbery, one attempted robbery and seven charges of possessing an imitation firearm at Kingston Crown Court on November 29.

On Monday (February 26) he was sentenced to nine years in jail at the same court.

Details of Whelan's robberies

  1. BP, Mandeville Road, Northolt on 29 March 2017 at 21:20hrs. Whelan demanded cash from the till. Total of £170 stolen.
  2. BP, Field End Road, Ruislip on 7 April 2017 at 05:55hrs. Whelan demanded cash from the till which was initially refused. He hit the cashier on the forehead with the firearm causing a small cut. Approximately £250 was stolen.
  3. BP, Victoria Road, Ruislip on 14 April 2017 at 20:24hrs. Whelan demanded money and stole £668.
  4. Shell, West End Road, Ruislip on 27 April 2017 at 21:16hrs. Whelan demanded money and stole £300.
  5. BP, Mandeville Road, Northolt on 9 May 2017 at 21:55hrs. Whelan stole £180 after demanding money from the till.
  6. *Esso, Alexandra Avenue, Harrow on 16 May 2017 at 23:02hrs. Whelan hit the cashier in the face with a firearm causing bruising to his head.*
  7. Asda, Church Road, Northolt, 18 May 2017 at 18:35hrs. Whelan stole £738.

* Attempted robbery

Detective Constable Alan Mears, of the Met's Flying Squad, said: "Whelan is a violent criminal who used threats and violence to steal cash from petrol stations.

"He was committing offences at a rate of almost one a week so it was important he was caught as soon as possible."

Detective Chief Inspector Scott Hartley, of the Met's Flying Squad, said: "Reece Whelan committed a series of extremely violent offences, causing utter terror to members of staff working at various petrol stations who were faced with an armed man demanding cash.

"As a result of a diligent and painstaking investigation by the Flying Squad, a violent criminal has been brought to justice and sentenced to a lengthy period in jail."

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