Jewel Thief Who Raided Fulham Shop is Jailed

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Five years for raider who was out on licence

A smash-and-grab raider who stole diamond rings worth almost £40,000 from the window of a New King's Road jeweller has been jailed for five years.

And police have revealed that at the time of the raid,  Lee Joseph, 30 was out on licence for a firearms offence, with two years out of a five year sentence still left to serve.

Lee Joseph and an accomplice used a sledgehammer and a table leg to smash into jewellery shop Nick Kellett in New King's Road during their daylight raid.

After riding up to the shopfront on mountain bikes just after noon, they took seven platinum diamond rings and one white gold ring, with a combined value of £38,300.

The sledgehammer was found in nearby Linver Street and forensic evidence left at the scene helped detectives track down Joseph, 30, living at a probation hostel in Shoot Up Hill, Kilburn.

The table leg was found discarded outside the shop.

Joseph's accomplice is still being hunted by police. Both mountain bikes were abandoned on the Sulivan Court estate.

At the trial, at Kingston Crown Court on July 31, Joseph pleaded guilty to burglary and was sent to prison for five years.

One of the stolen rings, valued at £2,630, has now been recovered.

After the sentencing, Met Police inspector Kevin Foley, of the borough's specialist burglary squad, said: "This is a fantastic result for the victim, police and local residents."

September 8, 2009

 

September 8, 2009