Men jailed for UK’s biggest gem robbery
LONDON, August 8, 2010 – A gang who carried out Britain’s biggest ever gem robbery – an armed raid on Graff jewellers — were jailed on August 6.
The men opened fire during their getaway after the raid in London’s upscale Bond Street district.
The stolen jewels and watches, worth a total of 40 million pounds, have never been recovered.
Aman Kassaye, who planned and executed the heist, was jailed for 23 years at London’s Woolwich Crown Court , the Press Association reported.
He used a professional make-up artist to disguise his appearance and a series of getaway cars to escape across the capital.
Three other men, Solomun Beyene, 25, Clinton Mogg, 43, and Thomas Thomas, 46, were jailed for 16 years after being convicted of conspiracy to rob, a court official said.
The court was shown footage of Kassaye firing a shot in the street outside the store as they made their getaway, sending passers-by running for cover.
In 2003, an international gang of robbers carried out a 23 million pound armed raid at Graff’s.
Two members of an Eastern European crime syndicate were later jailed for 20 years for their role in the raid.
