Warning comes after teens jailed for attacking elderly couple
POLICE are urging the Asian community to keep gold jewellery covered when out and about.
The warning comes after two teenagers were jailed for a vicious attack on an elderly couple in Harrow.
The Met say Asian robbery victims rose 30% last year alone and are being targeted for their gold jewellery.
Dario Critchlow, 19, and a 17 year old boy were jailed last week for a total of eight years after robbing the married couple in December 2009.
The two teens, and another unidentified man, attacked the couple as they walked to a bus stop in Wealdstone High Street, Harrow on 5 December 2009.
The court was told the trio struck their 63-year-old male victim on the head and forced his wife, 59, to the ground where they snatched a gold chain from around her neck and unsuccessfully tried to force some gold rings off her fingers.
Leaving their victims on the ground, the trio fled the scene in a taxi.
PC Ali Khan from Harrow Police Crime Squad said: “This was a planned and violent attack on a couple who were targeted for the gold jewellery worn by the woman.
“The couple were out shopping when the robbers attacked, knocking a 63 year old man to ground and then stealing his wife’s jewellery as she too was lying helpless on the ground. The robbery left the couple traumatized with both victims suffering physical injuries, while afterwards finding it difficult to sleep and being afraid to go out. This also had a severe affect on their family.”
“The couple were out shopping when the robbers attacked, knocking a 63 year old man to ground and then stealing his wife’s jewellery as she too was lying helpless on the ground. The robbery left the couple traumatized with both victims suffering physical injuries, while afterwards finding it difficult to sleep and being afraid to go out. This also had a severe affect on their family.”
Last year saw a rise in Asian victims, who accounted for approximately 30% of all street robbery victims, the Met say.
A key factor in these robberies has been in robbery of gold jewellery.
Commander Simon Pountain from the MPS said: “The MPS takes street robbery very seriously – being robbed is a traumatic experience. However, the public can minimise the chance of it happening by taking some basic measures. When you are out, where possible try to keep any valuables hidden. If you are wearing jewellery we would urge you to cover it, perhaps with a scarf.”
