A gang responsible for robberies in which more than £1million of money and jewellery was stolen have been sentenced to over 60 years imprisonment.

The gang, who were recruited and organised by Dean Oxley, 30, targeted jewelers, including Turnham Green Terrace’s Marmalade Jewellery, and cash-in-transit guards across London and were sentenced today, Wednesday 3rd September.

The men were arrested after an investigation by Barnes Flying Squad. They identified Dean Oxley as the head of the gang, who acted as a Fagin type character to recruit young members into the gang to commit the robberies. Oxley himself did not participate in the actual offences, but often watched his accomplices from nearby.

During the course of these robberies £1,025,900 worth of property was stolen and officers have so far recovered £6,000 in cash and £100,000 worth of watches. There is also a full financial investigation being undertaken using the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover assets where possible.

The four jewellers robberies and cash-in-transit robbery were committed between April and July 2007.

An element of violence was used in all of the offences, with staff and public being threatened by firearms. In one offence a five months pregnant woman was threatened with a chair.

Detective Sergeant Steve Kiely of the Met's Flying Squad at Barnes said, "Dean Oxley was an prominent and influential figure within South London organised crime circles. He controlled a violent gang of young men, directing them to commit high value commercial robberies across the capital.

"He regarded himself as untouchable remaining at arms length from any robbery. It has taken a lengthy and complex investigation by the Flying Squad to prove his involvement in what was a wide scale conspiracy. Today's sentences reflect how the courts and police view organised crime, recognising the varied roles held within a criminal network."

Eight of the gang pleaded guilty. Oxley and three others - Watson, Gordon and Samuels - were found guilty following a trial at Kingston CC. All twelve offenders with the respective charges and sentences follow, along with details of each offence:

30 year old Oxley was found guilty of five counts of conspiracy to rob. These concerned incidents at Pravins jewellers, Brent Cross; Fraser Hart jewellers, Brent Cross; Ernest Jones jewellers, Chelsea; Marmalade bespoke jewellers, Chiswick and Ernest Jones, Oxford Street. He was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison.

23 year old Marvin Samuels was found guilty of conspiracy to rob Marmalade bespoke jewellers, Chiswick. He was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

The remaining eight gang members, including 25 year old Daniel Joseph and teenagers Oliver Gouldbourne and Ayoade Adeshina who were also involved in the Marmalade incident, all pleaded guilty and received prison sentences.

The Marmalade Jewellery robbery occurred on 31st of July 2007. Oxley was spotted
driving a gold BMW 7 series with Marvin Samuels, Oliver Gouldbourne and Ayoade Adeshina as passengers to Chiswick closely followed by Daniel Joseph who was driving a Silver Nissan Primera he had purchased the previous day.

The BMW was parked near to the jewellers and Adeshine and Gouldbourne got into the Nissan and Joseph drove them to Turnham Green Terrace. Hooded, masked and armed with hammers, Adeshina and Gouldbourne entered the Turnham Green Terrace store and robbed it, smashing the display cabinets and terrifying the staff as they went before running back to Joseph who was waiting Nissan. They were intercepted on their way back to Oxley by Barnes Flying Squad officers and arrested.

Oxley and Samuels were arrested nearby. The stolen jewellery, which amounted to approximately £33,000 was recovered from a rucksack inside the Nissan.

September 4, 2008