Gumtree Robber Gets 8 Years For Knifepoint Muggings

A prolific Gumtree robber, who threatened his victims at knifepoint, has been locked-up for eight years.

Abdullahi Ahmed, 18, of Central Avenue, Hayes, west London even gloated to one victim and got into another's house after setting up meetings on the online marketplace.

At Harrow Crown Court he pleaded guilty to five counts of robbery and one count of theft.

Ahmed used the website Gumtree to arrange to meet his victims - all of whom were selling items on the site.

Over a period of three weeks between April 1 and 20, Ahmed struck on six separate occasions across London.

On the first occasion Ahmed – and a second unidentified male - arranged to meet a man in Hounslow on April 1 on the pretence of buying two pairs of designer shoes.

As the victim was getting the shoes from his car, Ahmed produced a knife, threatened the victim and stole the shoes.

He next struck on April 8 in a non-Gumtree opportunist mobile phone-snatch.

The victim was getting out of his car in Ealing when Ahmed ran past and snatched his phone. He subsequently called the victim and gloated about the offence.

The next day, Ahmed arranged to meet a woman who was selling her phone at her home in Bow.

Again, Ahmed was accompanied by a second male and once inside the home address a knife was produced and Ahmed stole the phone.

On April 12 Ahmed met a man who was selling a laptop in Hayes.

On this occasion, Ahmed handed over £1100 in cash to the victim, who then got into his car.

Ahmed forced his way into the passenger seat, threatened the victim with a knife and robbed him of the money he had just paid and the laptop.

The fifth offence happened on April 14 in Uxbridge. A man had advertised his phone for sale on Gumtree and Ahmed arranged to meet him.

During the meeting, Ahmed took the phone and intimated he was in possession of a knife before running off.

His final offence happened on April 20 in Barnet. Again, the female victim advertised to sell her phone via Gumtree and Ahmed responded to the advert and arranged to meet.

However during their meeting, Ahmed pulled a knife and robbed the victim of her phone.

All the offences were reported to police and officers began to piece together the events.

Through analysis of phone records and the victims' testimonies Ahmed was identified as a suspect.

He was arrested at his home address on April 27 and during a search of that address a number of the stolen items were recovered, as well as a phone officers established had been used to contact all the victims to arrange meetings.

Detective Constable Huss Ahmed of Barnet CID said: "Ahmed used threats of violence to intimidate and rob his victims of their property.

“His actions have had a devastating impact on some of his victims. I can only hope that this sentence provides some comfort to them."