Dunstable man jailed for role in violent watch robberies
A getaway driver from Dunstable has been put behind bars for his part in a spate of violent robberies in the City of London.
Two men and a woman were robbed as they were walking in Appold Street after a night out together just before 3am on September 8, 2024.
A BMW stopped next to them at a set of traffic lights and two men got out of the vehicle. The criminals threatened the victims with zombie-style knives and demanded their watches.
The suspects removed a Citizen watch, worth around £400, from one of the male victims and stabbed him twice across the buttocks. He was also left with a bloody head wound.
The female victim was kicked in the head, and the third victim was put in a headlock before handing over his Bulova watch, worth around £200.
Five minutes after the first robbery, two men and a woman also robbed as they were walking back to their car on Curtain Road at the junction of Scrutton Street and Holywell Row.
Again, a BMW stopped and the suspects got out, hitting the victim in the face and making off with his Tissot T-Classic watch – worth £400.
Kayne Stewart, aged 27, along with another driver, pleaded guilty to two robberies.
Stewart of Milton Way, Dunstable, was jailed for four years and six months.
A third man, suspected to have stabbed the victims, remains at large in Europe, and was last known to be in Switzerland.
Detective Sergeant Amy Westall from City of London Police, said: “These were exceptionally violent and frightening attacks in which the offenders showed a complete disregard for the safety of their victims. Armed with knives, they targeted people going about their lives, stabbing one victim and brutally kicking a woman in the head in their determination to steal what they believed was high-value watches.
“Thanks to the courage and swift actions of the victims in reporting these crimes, and the vital evidence they provided, our investigation team was able to piece together exactly what happened. Combined with the City of London’s extensive CCTV network, which captured both attacks just minutes apart, we were able to identify the offenders, track them down and ensure they faced justice.”