Claude Parkinson was one of a gang of moped robbers jailed today. They carried out more than 100 robberies on the streets of London and their victims included former chancellor George Osborne
A gang of moped robbers who targeted former chancellor George Osborne as they carried out 103 phone robberies in just 18 days were jailed for more than 13 years today.
Ringleader Claude Parkinson, 18, and two other teenagers aged 15 and 16, are one of the most prolific moped gangs ever to operate in the capital.
Following their arrest, Westminster Police noted a 40 per cent drop in this type of offending.
Armed with a hammer and tyre-iron, they singled out pedestrians texting or making calls before mounting the pavement and snatching the handsets.
Dramatic photos showing them roaring through streets with one raising a hammer above his head as they sped towards at passers-by.
Evening Standard editor Mr Osborne recalled in a victim impact statement how the raiders made a grab at his mobile as he left BBC headquarters in Portland Place, on 4 May.
He said: ‘I was physically unharmed but felt shocked and stunned.
‘The incident happened so quickly that I barely registered what had happened until afterwards. The scooter was so close that it almost brushed past me.
‘Had it hit me, I have no doubt I would have been seriously injured.’
Former chancellor George Osborne, now editor of London’s Evening Standard newspaper, was one of the gang’s victims. Other robberies were caught on CCTV (right)
The trio, all from Islington, admitted conspiracy to rob after stealing 103 phones across Westminster, Islington, Camden and Kensington and Chelsea, between 18 April and 5 May.
Parkinson and one of the youths also admitted breaching a criminal behaviour order.
Samsul Chowdhury, 40, who provided a ‘shopping list’ of handsets to the gang, admitted dishonestly recieving stolen goods.
Prosecutor Paul Fairley said: ‘Recently, the UK – and London in particular – has seen a huge increase in what is termed “moped-enabled crime” – robberies and thefts for, in the main, mobile phones.
Samsul Chowdhury provided the gang with a ‘shopping list’ of phones whic he could then sell on. He traded more than 300 items in just over a month
‘At the height of the period covering this indictment, the police team covering Westminster were seeing in excess of 100 such offences per week.
‘The premise is simple. Obtain a stolen moped, or steal it for yourself, dress up in motorcycle clothing which has the effect of providing a very effective disguise, arm yourself if necessary and then drive about looking for mobile phones to steal.
‘They are easy to find, they are expensive and the sell-on price for the thief is significant.
‘They are in plain view and there for the taking – loosely in the hands of the many members of the public who walk along looking down at them – completely unaware of who might be waiting to pounce, driving up on to the pavements, coming alongside the victim, snatching the phones and then driving away.
‘These offences are difficult to detect.’
The prosecutor added: ‘The offending rate was so high precisely because of the rewards available, and because there was a ready market.
‘In this case, that market came in the guise of Samsul Chowdhury.’
Married father-of-two Chowdhury made it known he was willing to accept the stolen phones at a good price.
Police raided the former Asda worker’s home on May 26 and found 35 stolen phones as well as laptops and other items stolen during residential burglaries.
The handsets were usually delivered to Chowdhury less than an hour after they were stolen.
His account books noted ‘pages and pages of carefully documented phones, prices the total of which runs into many thousands of pounds’.
Records show he traded in 327 items totalling £52,150 over a 42-day period between 5 April and 17 May.
Parkinson was always the lead moped rider while the younger raiders accepted involvement during the sprees on 21 April and 4 May.
Parkinson was sentenced to five years and three months while the two youths were handed terms of four years and two months. Chowdhury, of Bethnal Green, was jailed for four years and ten months.