London moped gang who targeted George Osborne jailed for 18 years after 100 robberies in under three weeks

Claude Parkinson and two youths plead guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery

Claude Parkinson, 18, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery (Met Police)

A moped gang in London who committed more than 100 robberies in under three weeks including the attempted theft of former Chancellor George Osborne's phone have been jailed for a total of 18 years.

Armed with weapons and riding two mopeds, three men robbed victims of their mobile phones and personal possessions across four boroughs between 18 April and 5 May.

Claude Parkinson, 18, as well as two youths aged 15 and 16, were each sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to more than four years imprisonment.

All three had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.

A fourth man, Shamsul Chowdhury, 40, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison.

The three robbers would ride around London looking for a victim, before using their mopeds to get up alongside them and snatch mobile phones.

Sometimes they would mount the pavement and threaten victims with a hammer and a metal bar.

On one occasion, they failed in a bid to steal Mr Osborne's mobile phone as he walked outside the BBC's headquarters in central London.

On another, the gang were spotted by a photographer whose high quality images captured the distinct markings on the suspects' clothing, such as logos and paint marks.

Making use of the images, officers from the Westminster Crime Squad viewed hours of CCTV footage and were able to map the route the suspects took.

The images showed one of the suspects had part of a finger nail missing and a blemish on his nose. These matched up to Parkinson and he was arrested on 6 May.

Further inquiries led to the arrest of the two other teenagers.

During a search of the 15-year-old's Islington home, photographs and video footage showed the same group riding dangerously and doing wheelies down the road.

Police were eventually able to establish the trio took a taxi to Tower Hamlets where they met Chowdhury and exchanged stolen goods for cash.

Officers raided Chowdhury's home on 26 May and found the phone used to send and receive messages from the group, as well as 30 smartphones, laptops, £3,000 in cash and a list of stolen phones which had since been sold.

Jess Ruddell, detective superintendent of Westminster Police, said: "Police are working hard to keep the public safe and make the streets hostile territory for criminals who steal scooters, mopeds, motorbikes and use them to commit other crimes.

"These suspects have been responsible for a huge number of crimes in London and have put members of the public in danger when committing their offences.

"Criminals such as these rely on the unwariness of the public to snatch their phones while they make calls, so it is important that the public is aware of their surroundings at all times and protect their personal property, particularly when emerging from a train or underground station or anywhere where they might suddenly decide to take out and use their phone. Smartphones are very valuable to these criminals and they can snatch them in an instant.”