Gang jailed for spree of security van robberies in SE London

The career criminals were caught by undercover officers, having targeted businesses across south east London between February and June this year.

Kieran Beazley, 33, of St Kerverne Road, was sentenced to ten years and eight months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to rob, handling stolen goods and driving offences.

Sam Holmes, 29, of Queenscroft Road, Mottingham, was jailed for 11-and-a-half years.

Sanchez Williams, 32, of Exeter Way, New Cross, was jailed for seven years and eight months.

David Leadbeater, 31, of Plumstead Road, was jailed for ten years and eight months.

Beazley, Holmes, Leadbetter, Sanchez

The spree came to an end after they raided a security van outside New Eltham post office, as undercover officers lay in waiting.

The gang pulled up in a stolen vehicle and waited for the security van to arrive, before Beazley, Holmes and Williams leapt out and sprinted towards the guard.

Beazley rugby tackled the guard throwing him to the floor and releasing the cash box. 

He grabbed the box containing £28,000 before running back with the others to the van, where getaway driver David Leadbeater was waiting with the engine running.

Within seconds, undercover officers intervened and gave chase.

The pursuit ended with the getaway van crashing into police vehicles. All four men struggled violently, but were arrested at the scene.

The cash was recovered in the rear of the van.

Just eight days earlier, on June 4, the gang targeted a Co-Op store on Westwood Lane in Blackfen, Dartford.

The gang arrived again in a white Peugeot Partner van, before jumping out and violently barging the guard into the railings at the front of the shop and stealing a cash box containing £12,500.

The robber, thought to be Beazley, was challenged by a guard and member of the public, and was thrown to the ground before fleeing empty handed.

On March 4, the robbers had attacked another post office, this time on Court Road in Mottingham.

The first robber, dressed all in black and again thought to be Beazley, barged the guard and grabbed the cash box.

Another criminal, thought to be Holmes, carried a distinctive blue and red handled screwdriver.

The criminals sprinted off, driving away in a stolen Ranger Rover Evoque using cloned number plates, which was found abandoned by police a short time later.

The screwdriver was recovered from the rear passenger footwall.

Beazley and Holmes were thought to have been involved in another robbery on a van outside a Mecca Bingo Hall, on Eltham Hill, February 17.

They had used the white Range Rover Evoque which turned up later in the robbery at the post office in Mottingham.

As the guard came out of the venue the gang pounced barging him and making off with nearly £7,000.

Detective Inspector Gail Lilley, of Central Specialist Crime, said: “These men are career criminals. Each has their own extensive criminal history that includes multiple convictions for burglary and vehicle crime.

“They used a variety of vehicles, often changing number plates in order to avoid detection.

“The vehicles they used were stolen by a variety of methods including burglary, theft, and robbery and the vehicles that were legitimately owned by the defendants also displayed cloned plates that were regularly changed.

“Their network was competent and well organised. Through Operation Navarin and the hard work and dedication of our officers we have put a stop to their criminal activities and taken dangerous criminals off the street.’’