BY OUR CRIME REPORTER
A RUTHLESS gang of robbers who snatched £1.1million worth of luxury watches from a Richmond jewellers have been jailed for a total of 51 years.
The sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court today marks the end of a hunt for the “dangerous” thugs behind the May 2024 raid—a crime that ended in a double tragedy.
Store worker Oliver White, 27, was tied up by the gang as they cleared the shelves of high-value timepieces at the store in Kew Road. In a heartbreaking twist, the young man took his own life just 24 hours later, unable to cope with the trauma of the ordeal.
Detectives from the Met’s elite Flying Squad spent months trawling through hundreds of hours of CCTV to track the gang’s movements across the country.
The court heard how the gang spent months planning the “audacious” heist. On May 25, 2024, Kyle Mehmet, 40, and an accomplice posed as regular customers, making an appointment with the shop owner before turning violent and restraining Mr. White.
The three men were sentenced today for conspiracy to rob:
Mannix Pedro, 38, of Woking: The “mastermind” who organised the raid. Jailed for 20 years.
Kyle Mehmet, 40, of Rotherham: Jailed for 18 years.
Michael Holmes, 35, of Sheffield: Jailed for 13 years.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Tom Waller said the victim’s family had been at the heart of the investigation.
”Throughout this investigation, Oliver has been in our thoughts,” DC Waller said.
“His death is a tragic reminder that crimes such as robbery have a significant impact on victims.”
The Met used phone data and CCTV to track the getaway car back to Acton, eventually linking the trio to the sophisticated plot.
While the stolen watches were high-value, the cost of the crime was ultimately far higher for the White family.
