Trio jailed in connection with moped muggings and motorbike thefts in central London

Three men have been jailed after carrying out a spate of moped muggings and motorbike thefts in central London.

Police said Thomas McDermott, 24, Hisham Tawfik, 20, and George Fitzgerald, 17, were handed a total of more than 20 years in prison at Southwark Crown Court after admitting a series of motorcycle thefts and ‘moped-enabled robberies’ between December 2016 and June 2017.

The Metropolitan Police said two investigations – one focusing on a spate of motorbike thefts and another concentrating on moped-enabled robberies – identified McDermott and Tawfik in connection with both series of crimes.

When it came to the motorbike thefts, the pair would scout motorcycle bays looking for high-value motorbikes.

They would then change into motorcycle gear with face coverings before Tawfik would drive McDermott on a high-powered vehicle of their own to one of the machines, where one of the pair would break the steering lock and steer the stolen bike as the other pushed from behind on the other vehicle to take it away.

One brazen attempt in Soho Square in December 2016 led to the pair threatening members of the public with knives and angle grinders as they tried to stop them stealing a bike.

Similarly, police enquiries into the moped muggings led detectives to McDermott and Fitzgerald.

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In one incident St Johns Wood park in June 2017, McDermott and Fitzgerald were on a stolen motorbike when they attacked a 35-year-old man, stealing his Rolex watch at knifepoint before making off.

A few days later in Royal Avenue, a 45-year-old woman was walking towards Kings Road when she was attacked by McDermott while Fitzgerald waited on a getaway stolen moped. McDermott knocked the woman to the ground and stole her watch, again at knifepoint.

All three men were handed prison sentences after pleading guilty to an array of crimes.

McDermott, of Kilburn Lane, was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit robbery, seven counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft of motorcycles.

Tawfik, of Beethoven Street, was jailed for three years for seven counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft of motorcycles.

And Fitzgerald, of Goresbrook Road, Dagenham – for whom the judge waived his right to anonymity – was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for five counts of robbery.

DC Russell Farmer, of Westminster Crime Squad, who led the investigation into the robberies, said: “We hope today’s sentencing serves as some deterrent to those intent on committing moped-enabled offences that the Met will find them and bring them to justice.”

DC Vic Barkes, who led the investigation into the motorbike thefts, added: “We’re pleased to have put these three behind bars for their brazen crimes. I’m convinced that Londoners will be all the safer for it.”