12/11/2012

16-Year-Old Jailed For Robberies Carried Out In Disguise

A schoolboy who wore a prosthetic disguise and hairpieces to carry out armed robberies has been jailed.

16-year-old Miles Alura stole £50,000 of jewellery from a shop in Kent in July disguised as an elderly man. The teenager also wore false dreadlocks during a robbery at a jewellers in Mayfair, London, the month before, when he escaped with £100,000 of stock.

On both occasions he and a different accomplice threatened staff before tying them up and making their getaway.

Yesterday Alura, of north London, who was identified after reporting restrictions were lifted, was jailed at Kingston crown court for five years after admitting robbery, conspiracy to rob and possession of an imitation firearm.

Another 16-year-old boy, from Stoke Newington, London, was sentenced to three years in prison for robbery and conspiracy to rob, while a 15-year-old from Holloway, London, was given a 12-month detention and training order for conspiracy to rob and possession of an imitation firearm.

The court heard that on 3 July Alura and the 15-year-old went to a jewellers in Longfield, Kent. Alura, who was wearing facial prosthetics, makeup and a hairpiece to disguise himself as an elderly man, produced two handguns and threatened staff. Terrified workers and a dog were tied up using handcuffs and a dog lead, and the pair stole £50,000 of jewellery.

A member of the public called the police and Alura was quickly arrested. The 15-year-old boy was arrested after he ran to fields three miles away.

Detectives from the Metropolitan police's flying squad linked the robbery to another committed at a jewellers in Mayfair on 7 June, by Alura and a 16-year-old boy.

Police found fingerprints belonging to them both on history homework and a drawing of the plan of the store.

(H/GK)


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