Three men have pleaded guilty after an investigation into a smash and grab robbery at a jewellery shop in London. A video of the robbery widely shared online showed the men smashing the window of the jewellers in Richmond with a sledgehammer before reaching in to snatch jewels worth £225,000 and making off.
Met Police officers immediately launched an investigation, arresting two of the men on March 31 and the third on April 8 at addresses in Essex. Deniz Mehmet, 28, of Elham Drive, Basildon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, July 10.
Robert Clarke, 50, of Lever Lane, Rochford, and Lee Ramsey, 46, of Hastingwood Road, Harlow, pleaded guilty to the same offence at the same court on Friday, May 22.
All three were remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Friday, July 24, according to the Met Police.
Det Supt Dan Mitchell, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “Robberies of this kind cause real concern for residents and businesses in the communities that are targeted. It’s they who feel the immediate impact.
“These guilty pleas mark a significant step in what has been a detailed and determined investigation. I hope they demonstrate our commitment to tackling smash‑and‑grab robberies in London by going after those involved, wherever they are.
“The groups responsible should be under no illusion – we will pursue you relentlessly and hold you to account.”
The investigation was launched immediately after the robbery at family-run Gregory & Co. in Paved Court, Richmond on January 31.
Specialist detectives scoured CCTV footage, along with forensic analysis and the recovery of a vehicle believed to be linked to the robbery.
It led to the identification of the three suspects, who were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery.