A VIOLENT gang member who preyed on wealthy individuals, including F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and a Tory peer as they made their way home at night, has been jailed for 20 years.
Nicholas Lewis, 34, of Balgores Lane, Romford, is though to have raked in £2 million from his victims, one of whom was BAA chairman Sir Nigel Rudd and his wife Lesley.
Two other member of the "millionaire gang", Gulam Gani, 47, of Bentworth Road, White City, and Sean Wallace, 30, of Barandon Walk, Holland Park, were also found guilty of conspiracy to rob and were sentenced to 18 years and 15 years respectively.
The gang targeted wealthy individuals in and around Mayfair – usually lone women wearing expensive jewellery and watches on their way home after an evening out.
On May 4, 2011, a woman was grabbed from behind and £50,000 worth of jewellery was taken from her, including a diamond pendant necklace, a Cartier Cougar watch worth about £4,000 and a Graff diamond ring valued at £25,000.
Eight days later, the gang struck again when they followed a second female victim, aged 57, as she made her way home in a cab.
As she walked to her front door, she was robbed of £35,000 worth of jewellery, including a £3,000 Chanel diamond ring, a Cartier ring, a gold engagement ring and a set of diamond earrings valued at £2,000.
Four days after that incident the gang, travelling in a stolen BMW, took £21,000 worth of jewellery including a Cartier watch and two diamond eternity rings from a 55-year-old woman unloading belongings from her car.
On May 23 – a week later – they robbed a couple of £84,000 worth of jewellery at knifepoint, including a £10,000 Cartier watch, a diamond ring valued at £20,000, pearls worth £12,000, diamond earrings valued at £20,000, a Cartier necklace, a Rolex watch valued at £12,000 and a £1,000 Chanel handbag.
The couple had just entered their property when the gang burst through the door, knocking the woman to the floor.
They then demanded the couple hand over any jewellery, with one gang member grabbing a knife and the other a knife sharpener from the kitchen to threaten them.
After holding the couple at knifepoint, the defendants escaped in a waiting car with the items.
On October 31, 2011, the gang targeted a 53-year-old woman close to her home. A violent struggle ensued as the two thieves attempted to steal the £75,000 ring the victim was wearing.
Unable to get the ring off her finger, the thieves made threats to cut her finger off in order to get the ring.
During the struggle, the victim was able to scratch one of the thieves and moments later they were able to pull the ring off her finger before fleeing the scene.
DNA evidence later revealed that the person the victim had scratched during the struggle was Lewis.
On December 20, 2011, the ringleader of the gang – Gani – was arrested for conspiracy to rob.
Lewis, his co-conspirator, was also arrested for the same offence after attempting to flee from police.
Wallace was arrested and charged on January 5, 2012, after handing himself into police. He was charged with conspiracy to rob.
Detective Superintendent Neil Thompson, of the London Crime Squad, said: "The gang preyed mostly on lone women as they made their way home and stole an array of items of significant importance and sentimental value.
"Not only did they steal these items but on a number of occasions they callously attacked their victims on their own doorsteps.
"The gang showed no remorse and disregarded the impact these robberies would have on their victims."
