London Smash-and-Grab Jewelry Thief Detained by the Public Gets 10-Year Jail Sentence

A man who was detained by members of the public after he took part in a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelers in the west of London, England, was sentenced to 10 years in jail on January 16.

Following Ben Wegener’s sentencing, the Metropolitan Police released CCTV footage of the robbery and the observers outside chasing the thieves.

The video shows a black Range Rover – later found to have been stolen – smashing through the front of a jewelers in the Shepherd’s Bush neighborhood of London before its occupants begin to break glass cabinets with hammers and steal the contents.

After ransacking the store, two of the suspects fled the scene, but Wegener was prevented from escaping by members of the public outside, and he was detained until authorities arrived a few minutes later, according to police. Credit: The Metropolitan Police via Storyful