Gang Involved in Bingo Hall Theft Finally Jailed

Bingo halls are a hub where people go to try their luck and to socialize, but with so much money up for grabs, they often become targets for thieves looking to make a quick buck. Between February and June this year, a gang of four violent thugs targeted a popular bingo hall as well as a post office and a Co-Op before making off with £50,000. The four-strong organized crime group eyed an opportunity to make off with the cash by storming guards carrying the money, but not only the once – multiple times!

The crime-spree finally came to an end when the Met’s flying squad pursued the gang in a high-speed chase. Kieran Beazley, 33, Sam Holmes, 29, Sanchez Williams, 32, and David Leadbeater, 31, were hauled before Woolwich Crown Court on Friday where they were all handed lengthy prison sentences for their roles in the robberies.

Crime Doesn’t Pay!

Hardly surprising to learn the gang members have a string of convictions under their belt, but they did adhere to one law when carrying out the thefts; they all wore a mask and gloves! It all began back in February when two members ambushed a van outside of Mecca Bingo in Elthan, where £7,000 was stolen – seven grand in bingo game winnings/takings.

On March 4^th, a security guard was ambushed at the post office in Mottingham by two of the members, one of which was brandishing a screwdriver, before they both fled in a stolen Range Rover. June 4^th, the Co-Op in southeast London was next, and after barging into the guard at the front of the shop violently, the gang members made off with £12,500, but it was to be short-lived as a brave member of the public tackled one of the members and managed to retrieve the stolen money in the process. A security van was targeted next some 8-days later, but the flying squad was waiting for them.

Detective Inspector Gail Lilley, of Central Specialist Crime, called the robbers “career criminals” adding: “We have put a stop to their criminal activities and taken dangerous criminals off the street." But for how long? Each has a criminal has a history as long as an arm and past convictions and prison sentences have failed to deter them from engaging in more violent thefts.

Locals to the area can sleep easy….

…for a while), as Beazley from Eltham was jailed for 10-years and 8-months, Leadbeater from Plumstead was also handed a prison sentence of 10-years and 8-months, Williams of New Cross is behind bars for 7-years and 8-months and Holmes of Mottingham, will be serving 11-years and 6-months in prison.

Source: “Robbery Gang Who Struck at Post Offices and a Mecca Bingo Hall Are Jailed”. Evening Standard. December 21, 2020.