Gang jailed over smash-and-grab robberies that caused £1 million worth of damage in London's West End

Three men have been jailed following a string of high-profile smash-and-grab robberies in London’s West End, police have confirmed.

The gang targeted five luxury fashion stores over a three-month period between November 2025 and January 2026, using stolen cars to crash through storefronts before raiding the premises, according to the Metropolitan Police.

CCTV footage released by the force on Thursday depicts vehicles reversing directly into shop display windows before thieves rush inside to steal as many items as they could carry before escaping.

The group focused on designer boutiques in exclusive shopping areas, including YSL in Bond Street, Bottega Veneta and Lora Piana in Sloane Street, and End in Broadwick Street.

At Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, Max Tyson, 26, and Ryan Brough, 34, were sentenced to three years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary.

Harry Johnson, 25, was jailed for one year and 10 months after pleading guilty to handling stolen goods.

Two other men, Sonny Stringer, 29, and Olivier Ndayizeie, 36, received suspended sentences at the same court after pleading guilty to handling stolen goods and encouraging or assisting an offence, respectively.

Police said the total damage caused to the boutiques, combined with the value of the stolen items, reached £1 million.

During the raid on Lora Piana on 16 December 2025, the gang stole more than 105 items—including handbags, clothing, boots, and a coat worth over £30,000—with the total value of stock taken in that single incident coming to nearly £385,000.

Detectives later discovered that the stolen merchandise was frequently resold at a fraction of its retail value, with messages showing Tyson once received just £1,800 for items worth more than £30,000.

Officers from the Met’s Flying Squad identified the gang through a combination of CCTV, forensic evidence, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition footage, which revealed the group had used several stolen vehicles.

Investigators found that one car used to ram a store was insured to Ndayizeie, of Freegrove Road in Islington, while DNA gathered from the scene was matched to Max Tyson.

The investigation subsequently tracked Tyson, of St Peters Street in Islington, to a shop in Cornwall where he had fled to avoid being caught.

However, police discovered receipts in his name demonstrating that stolen goods had been resold to the shop for thousands of pounds.

Tyson and Brough, of Courtney Road, Islington, were arrested on 23 January 2026, the same day as the final raid at the YSL store on Bond Street.

Stringer, of Essex Road, Islington, was arrested on 26 January, while Johnson, of Tilney Gardens, and Ndayizeie were detained on 10 February.

Detective Constable Will Wigzell, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: "These robberies have a lasting impact on businesses, their staff and the wider community, affecting livelihoods as well as causing significant emotional and financial harm through the threats, violence and intimidation involved.

"This organised crime group carried out a series of brazen smash-and-grab robberies across some of London’s busiest shopping districts.

"They carefully planned their offences, using stolen vehicles and mopeds in an attempt to evade detection, but thanks to the determination and expertise of Flying Squad detectives, they were identified and brought to justice.

"These sentences mark a significant milestone in what has been a detailed and determined investigation.

"I hope they demonstrate our commitment to tackling smash-and-grab robberies in London by pursuing those involved, wherever they are."