ARMED BURKA BANDITS JAILED FOR JEWEL RAID
Trio of vicious thugs locked up for terrifying attack on staff and pinching Rolex watches
THREE members of an armed gang that used burkas during a robbery at a jewellers have been jailed for more than 32 years.
Dean King, Anthony Wheeldon and Connor Willis were among raiders who targeted Walker the Jeweller in Dundee’s Union Street.
A judge was earlier shown footage of King taking part in a ruse to keep the door to the premises open while accomplices – two dressed in Islamic-style full-length robes and face coverings – burst in.
Advocate depute Ashley Edwards QC told the High Court in Edinburgh a stolen Ford Kuga drew up in the street.
The raiders emerged from the vehicle after King gained entry and immediately bent down to tie a shoe lace, preventing a security door closing. The prosecutor said: “Two males wearing robes and face veils, which witnesses described as being ‘like a burka’, came out of the vehicle followed by a third male wearing dark clothing and a balaclava. They were carrying an axe, a hammer, a mallet and a bag. “As they entered the store, the men shouted and swore and brandished the weapons at the members of staff. Customer Gordon Morris lifted a stool above his head and began swinging it towards the intruders but was hit on the head with the mallet. He fell backwards and struck his head on a wall and his attacker stood over him brandishing the weapon. Morris later required stitches.
The robbers began smashing display cabinets but a member of staff activated an anti-robbery device which filled the premises with a thick fog.
They managed to get away with two Rolex watches worth £17,850 and caused about £3800 worth of damage.
Following the raid. police recovered a rucksack, which was thought to have been dropped by the robbers and found a DNA match for Willis.
The Ford Kuga used in the robbery was traced to South Victoria Dock Road in Dundee and a vape bottle that was found provided a DNA link to Wheeldon.
A holdall containing clothing was also discovered which provided a DNA match to King. King, 28, Wheeldon, 40, and Willis, 24, previously admitted carrying out the robbery at the on September 23, 2019, while acting with others.
Willis also pled guilty to taking part in a raid on Miena Jewellery in Edinburgh the month before.
Judge Lord Beckett told the thugs the offences “involved ferocious and frightening violence which followed sophisticated planning”.
He added: “For such serious, sophisticated and violent crimes, severe sentences are called for in order to protect the public from you, to punish you and to seek to deter you and others from such crimes.”
He jailed King for nine years and two months, Wheeldon for 11 years and Willis for 12 years. Wheeldon will be under supervision for a further four years and Willis for five years.
All three were given driving bans as vehicles were involved in the crimes.