Modern Fagin Orchestrated Violent Teenage Phone Robbery Gang in London
A criminal mastermind, described as a modern-day Fagin, ran gangs of teenage robbers who stole more than £100,000 worth of mobile phones in just two weeks, a court has heard. Sammie Govera, 32, recruited and directed his band of crooks through social media, leading to a series of aggressive raids on phone shops across the capital.
Violent Raids and Social Media Coordination
For six of the raids, teenagers wearing gloves, balaclavas, and hoodies stormed into shops, threatening violence to staff as they stuffed bags with phones. They demanded access to storerooms full of valuables, throwing punches and manhandling terrified workers. In one raid on a Three store in Woolwich, southeast London, the gang snatched £30,000 worth of goods. During another robbery at a north London branch of the same store, the laundry bag used to carry stolen phones was so heavy it required two members to lift it.
Govera used a Snapchat group named ‘8.30am’ to recruit and marshal his young charges, making frequent trips from his home in Newport, South Wales, to oversee operations. He admitted conspiracy to rob at Croydon Crown Court, with nine other defendants convicted of similar offences, including four found guilty on Monday.
Unusual Getaway Drivers and Schoolboy Robbers
The gang's getaway drivers included Thomas Davidson, 72, who appeared in court in a turquoise electric wheelchair, and eyepatch-wearing Saleem Razman, 49, from Manchester. Davidson drove a Motability Vauxhall Grandland, which has since been reclaimed by the scheme that helps disabled people access cars.
Two of the boys who pleaded not guilty appeared in court in their school uniforms. Louis Pandanzyla, 18, from Havering in east London, was one, while another, who cannot be named as he is only 16, admitted wearing his uniform to meet up with other robbers ahead of a raid because he was ‘meant to go to school that day.’
Police Investigation and Arrests
Some robberies were aborted when staff pushed panic buttons or if robbers suspected undercover police, using the codeword ‘undies’ to alert others. Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad eventually snared the gang in Operation Wavesplash. On June 7 last year, police stopped a getaway VW Passat in Balham, southwest London, arresting robbers on foot as they fled. Two days later, Govera and three teenagers were arrested in Sutton, south London, when police pinned Davidson's Vauxhall Grandland.
Since Govera was taken into custody, there have been no raids on mobile phone shops in London, according to Detective Constable Thomas Lockwood of the Flying Squad. Detectives accessed the ‘8.30am’ Snapchat group on Govera’s phone after capturing his passcode on CCTV. DC Lockwood noted that US-based tech firm Snapchat ignored requests to assist the investigation, failing to respond to applications for email addresses used to set up the account.
Justice Served and Police Commitment
DC Lockwood emphasized the Metropolitan Police’s dedication to combating such crimes: ‘The Flying Squad will vigorously defend any institutions that suffer robberies and will pursue individuals carrying out these aggressive raids for easy money. These crimes are terrifying for victims who face balaclava-clad violent criminals while trying to earn an honest living. No one deserves to be menaced, threatened, or assaulted by offenders seeking to rob them. We are grateful the jury saw through these criminals’ lies, ensuring justice for victims and the wider public.’
