A violent gang who robbed a woman in her Chiswick home after following her from Kensington have been convicted of robbery and fraud.
One teenage boy and three men in their 20s were involved in the incident which saw them hire a cab for the night to cruise the streets of London, before they singled out a 59-year-old woman travelling home after a night out with friends.
They followed her and barged into her home and stole her handbag, using her credit card to buy goods valued at more than £2,000.
Sean Hylton, 23, and Nsimba Malungo, 23, both of Abbey Rd, East Ham, were convicted of robbery and fraud following a trial at Kingston Crown Court yesterday (Nov 25).
A third man, Imran Naiim, 21, of Ranelagh Rd, East Ham, was also convicted of robbery and fraud but was not in court and a bench warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Teenager Younis Kamali, 19, of Priory Rd, East Ham, was found not guilty of robbery but found guilty of fraud.
All four are due to be sentenced on December 18 at Kingston Crown Court.
At 1.30am on March 1, 2013, while being driven around London looking for prey the gang singled out a woman on her way home after a night out.
She was spotted by the group withdrawing money in Kensington High Street during her fare home in a licensed Hackney carriage.
Two of the men got out of the car they were travelling in and compromised her pin number by 'shoulder surfing'.
One claimed the cash machine was broken while the other watched as she inputted her pin number.
The victim withdrew money and took no notice and continued with her journey home.
Back at her home in Chiswick she heard a knock on the door and answered it to see two of the youths stood in the doorway.
One gang member barged the door with such force that it made contact with her face and knocked her to the floor.
Both youths then ran into the house, picked up her handbag and ran off down the street.
A credit card belonging to the victim had been used to buy goods valued at more than £2,000.
The incident was investigated by officers from the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit based at Hounslow who used extensive CCTV imagery to identify the vehicle involved and subsequently catch the gang.
Minicab driver Alexandra Pascu, 30 (23.01.84) of Pickering Road, Barking, was found not guilty of all charges.
Detective Inspector Neil John of the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit at based at Hounslow said: “This was a calculated and vicious attack on a lone vulnerable lady in her own home.
“A thorough and relentless investigation was undertaken by officers from the Serious and Acquisitive Crime Unit at Hounslow Police Station leading to the arrest of all the gang members who had believed they were out of reach of police. The conviction today today demonstrates that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.”
