On Monday 15 July 2013 at the Inner London Crown Court Chukwuka Iheke, aged 20yrs (DOB 02/10/1992) of Berry Lane, SE21 8AR was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months for Robbery and 2 counts of theft.
The court heard that on Friday 5 April 2013 at Brockwell Park Gardens, SE24 Iheke forced a Taxi Driver to get out of his car in order for him to steal it.
The Driver ran off leaving the vehicle behind, however due to its keyless ignition Iheke was unable to take the car.
The taxi driver called police and on returning to the scene with officers the vehicle was found to still be at the location. Money had however been taken from inside the vehicle. A mobile phone was found in the car and checks made by police found this phone to be owned by Iheke.
Further investigation on the phone found it to have been used to arrange a meeting between a car seller using Gumtree and a potential buyer on the 22 march. The meeting was arranged at Penge East Station. During the meet the seller had the vehicle stolen from him by the alleged buyer. The vehicle was a Black Dodge Calibre.
Days later on 28 March the stolen black Dodge Calibre was then used during the theft of a Laptop from Hillside Road, Streatham SW2. Once more a Gumtree Seller arranged to meet a buyer, in this case Iheke, in regards to the laptop he was selling. Iheke stole the laptop from the seller and made off using the Black Dodge Calibre.
Iheke was arrested on the 9 April 2013 after officers conducted an arrest warrant at his home address. On seeing Police Iheke jumped from a first floor window in order to escape but was detained by Police. The Black Dodge Calibre was recovered near to his home address.
Iheke pleaded guilty to the theft at an earlier hearing on 24 April.
TDC Luke Bielby said, “Iheke had been prolific in the space of a few weeks and this spree would have no doubt continued, had he not been apprehended.
"Lambeth borough Police will continue to target criminals to prevent the misery they cause to everyday members of the local community.”
Based on information by Lambeth police
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