Facing jail: Bungling robbers who dropped £15,000 cash in street after armed Post Office raid

Metropolitan Police
Ramzy Alwakeel1 December 2015
WEST END FINAL

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A gang of gun-toting robbers who pistol-whipped Post Office workers before leading police on a foot chase through the streets of south London are facing jail.

The Old Bailey heard how two of the men leapt over the counter at the Croydon High Street branch on May 26 and stuffed £15,000 worth of banknotes into a bag while an accomplice blockaded the door, trapping terrified customers inside.

One, Gary Katabarwa, brandished a loaded gun at staff and smacked two of them in the head with it, leaving them needing hospital treatment.

But the raid went awry after Flying Squad officers were scrambled, arriving in time to catch the gunman just outside the shop with the weapon still stuffed into his waistband.

Other police ran off after Dwayne Ramsey and Shane Perry, who had dropped the cash-filled rucksack by the door, and caught them nearby.

Evidence: Two of the guns used during the raid and, left, the discarded bag of cash on the pavement. Police are seen in the background apparently detaining one of the men Met Police
Met Police

On Monday Perry, 33, and Ramsey, 34, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery and a string of firearms offences, while Katabarwa, 27, was found guilty of robbery, malicious wounding, assault and two gun offences.

Reece Perry, 23, had already admitted conspiracy to rob and three firearms offences, while Herbert Kulsumu, 35, admitted robbery.

All five men will be sentenced on December 17.

Det Const Adam Barsby of the Met’s Flying Squad said: “This criminal gang terrorised staff and customers, brandishing a loaded firearm and pistol-whipping cashiers.

“The recovery of two loaded guns and ammunition, coupled with these convictions, means London’s streets are a safer place today.”

In a bizarre twist, an unmarked cop car rolled into and destroyed a nearby vegan food stall during the operation, injuring a flower seller in his 60s.

Narrow escape: The unmarked car lodged in the stall after the crash with workers Grace Magecha and Greg Kirby nearby @markwass/Twitter
@markwass/Twitter

Grace Magecha, who runs the Veg Instead stall, told the Standard at the time how a police officer had jumped out of the car to chase the robbers on foot.

But the car carried on moving, hitting the flower seller before ploughing into her stall.

“We were both in the tent at the time and got knocked to the ground, but we’re ok,” she said.

“There was an armed robbery going on and the officer jumped out of the car.

“The car was still moving, it was going fairly fast – we didn’t have time to move out of the way.”

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