Armed robbers who PISTOL-WHIPPED two women during May Croydon Post Office robbery are convicted at the Old Bailey

The five men, Shane Perry, 33, of Poulett House, Tulse Hill, Dwayne Ramsey, 34, of no fixed address, Gary Katabarwa, 27, of Kingston Square in Lambeth, Reece Perry, 23, of Mews, West Norwood, and Herbert Kulsumu, 35, no fixed address, raided the Post Office in Croydon’s High Street on Tuesday, May 26.

Katabarwa, Ramsey and Shane Perry came into the shop at opening time and while Ramsey stopped customers leaving, Perry and Katabarwa leapt over the counter and stuffed cash into a rucksack, police said.

Katabarwa pointed a loaded pistol at staff and hit two women round the head with the gun.

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The three men left the Post Office at about 9.05am and police arrested Katabarwa, who had the pistol stowed in his waistband.

Shane Perry dropped the rucksack outside the Post Office and he and Ramsey were detained after a short foot chase.

Clockwise from top left: Dwayne Ramsey, Herbert Kulsumu, Shane Perry, Reece Perry and Gary Katabarwa

Reece Perry, who was to act as getaway driver, was arrested as he sat waiting for his accomplices by his Ford Puma in nearby Scarbrook Road, and Kulsumu was found hiding in his BMW behind Reece Perry.

The gang will be sentenced on Thursday, December 17.

The two Post Office employees who were pistol-whipped were taken to hospital with non-threatening head injuries, and a man in his 60s was treated by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) when an unmarked police car rolled into a market stall during the operation.

DC Adam Barsby of the Met's Flying Squad said: "This criminal gang terrorised staff and customers, brandishing a loaded firearm and pistol whipping cashiers.

"The recovery of two loaded guns and ammunition, coupled with these convictions, means London's streets are a safer place today."