Five street robbers who stole expensive watches including £26,000 Rolex and £10,000 Patek Phillipe from victims in Cambridge jailed for total of 18 years

Five street robbers who stole expensive watches including £26,000 Rolex and £10,000 Patex Phillipe from victims in Cambridge jailed for total of 18 years (Image: Archant)

Just before midnight on 11 October, the first victim was grabbed by the wrists and pushed by men who took his Seiko watch worth about £500 in Market Hill.

The next day at 4.15pm in Market Passage a man approached the victim and in Arabic said ‘remember me my friend?’ before the victim was jumped by three more men and his £10,000 Patek Phillipe watch stolen.

Five street robbers who stole expensive watches including £26,000 Rolex and £10,000 Patex Phillipe from victims in Cambridge jailed for total of 18 years (Image: Archant)

On 13 October at about 9.15pm the final victim was grabbed by the wrist in Rose Crescent, pushed to the floor and held down by four men. His Rolex watch worth £26,500 and mobile phone were taken.

Using CCTV officers were able to identify the vehicle they made off in on 13 October and were tracked using CCTV. The vehicle was stopped the next day and four of the men were arrested and the Rolex watch recovered.

Five street robbers who stole expensive watches including £26,000 Rolex and £10,000 Patex Phillipe from victims in Cambridge jailed for total of 18 years (Image: Archant)

Further investigation led to the accommodation they were staying at in Rustat Road where a fifth man was arrested and a number of items seized linking them to the robberies.

At Peterborough Crown Court on Monday (17 August) the men were all handed jail sentences after previously pleading guilty to the offences they were charged with.

Five street robbers who stole expensive watches including £26,000 Rolex and £10,000 Patex Phillipe from victims in Cambridge jailed for total of 18 years (Image: Archant)

Mohamed Laanani, 25, of no fixed abode was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to commit robbery in Cambridge as well as two, two and a half, three and three years for four robberies in London (to be served concurrently).

Adam Alarmeli, 22, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to four years and four months for conspiring to commit robbery in Cambridge as well as three years for a robbery in London (to be served concurrently).

Five street robbers who stole expensive watches including £26,000 Rolex and £10,000 Patex Phillipe from victims in Cambridge jailed for total of 18 years (Image: Archant)

Oussama Saoud, 22, of Marcia Road, London, was sentenced to three years for conspiring to commit robbery in Cambridge and six months for possession of false identity documents.

Ouail Lachebi, 22, of HMP Peterborough, was sentenced to three years for conspiring to commit robbery in Cambridge and three years for a robbery in London (to be served concurrently). He was also sentenced to three months for assaulting an emergency worker whilst in custody.

Oussama Soufi, 21, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to three years for conspire to commit robbery in Cambridge and three years for a robbery in London (to be served concurrently).

Detective Constable Paul Evans said: “The victims in this case were subjected to a terrifying ordeal by an organised crime group who set out to target foreign nationals across the South East.

“Following an extensive joint investigation with our colleagues at the Met and Thames Valley Police we’re delighted to see these men are now behind bars facing the consequences of their actions. I hope that the culmination of this case gives the victims some closure and enables them to begin to move forward with their lives.’Remem