The seven men used sledgehammers, bricks and a Ford Fiesta to crash their way into a series of shops between May and August 2025
Members of a “criminal network” stole more than £100,000 worth of watches, artwork and designer goods from high-end London stores. The seven men used sledgehammers, bricks and a Ford Fiesta to crash their way into a series of shops between May and August 2025.
Christopher Gibbs, 43; George O’Hare, 42; Paul Hughes, 42; Anthony Munday, 40; Lee James McCready, 46; Matthew Windrass, 50; and David Rigelsford, 37, all appeared to be sentenced for their part in the activity at Kingston Crown Court on Friday. After hearing from counsel, Judge Mark Nicholas Bryant-Heron KC adjourned to pass sentence on March 17.
One of the defendants, McCready, of Uxbridge, was on licence for murder committed in 2005, when he took part in a robbery where almost £60,000 worth of watches and jewellery were stolen in broad daylight from Suttons and Robertsons store on Edgware Road, London.
CCTV footage of the incident seen in court showed two men rushing up to the shop front wearing balaclavas and carrying sledgehammers. The two men, identified as McCready and Windrass, proceeded to snatch watches and jewellery through the windows before running back to a “getaway driver” in a silver Jaguar, identified as Munday.
Through assessing vehicle movements and “thousands of hours” of CCTV footage, the Metropolitan Police confirmed the string of offences were all linked to the same “criminal network” operating near Paddington in west London.
William Sneddon, prosecuting, said: “On seeing the two males leave via the store’s security cameras, Mr Keaney (the store manager) exited the store. A large crowd had gathered and a lot of people were filming.
“He assessed that around five watches and some jewellery items, valued at a minimum of £59,930.00, had been stolen. The whole incident lasted approximately nine minutes.”
Defending Munday, Kane Sharpe said: “The sledgehammers were not carried as weapons but as tools, to carry out what was essentially a smash-and-grab burglary.”
In another burglary caught on CCTV, involving Gibbs, O’Hare and Hughes, the robbers used a Ford Fiesta to crash through the doors of a Fendi store on Sloane Street, London. They can then be seen grabbing designer handbags before escaping using a motorbike and a silver Mercedes.
Mr Sneddon said: “Whilst the Fiesta was ramming the store’s doors, the passenger from the Mercedes and the motorcyclist stood on the pavement nearby.
“After the third ram of the doors, the driver of the Fiesta got out of the vehicle and joined the other two men who had entered the Fendi store. The driver of the Mercedes remained in the vehicle during the offence.”
Gibbs was also sentenced for using a “paving block” to smash through the locked front door of Clarendon Fine Art before stealing two pieces of framed art, collectively valued at £66,500, along with another unknown man.
Across the group, five successful burglaries of London shops were committed between May and July 2025, with a similar technique being used each time. A total of £146,356 worth of items were stolen during those incidents. There were also two unsuccessful burglaries of an apothecary in Marybone and a watch shop in Westminster, the court heard.
Rigelsford, of Kilburn, was also separately convicted of a hotel robbery, two car thefts and an attempted theft of a rucksack from a vehicle.
The prosecution said a blue Mini Cooper stolen by Rigelsford on May 22 last year was used as a “getaway” vehicle in a burglary of Phillips Auction House where items to a value of £610,500 would be stolen four days later. No-one has yet been charged in connection with that incident, the court heard.
Gibbs, McCready, Windrass, O’Hare and Munday were located and arrested in a series of co-ordinated raids on August 5 2025. Hughes and Rigelsford were arrested and charged for their involvement on September 29, 2025.
Detective Chief Inspector Scott Mather, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “We realise these attacks on luxury stores have had a significant impact on business owners and the communities around them.
“Our detectives worked quickly, establishing common patterns between the attacks to link them to one criminal network. Forensic analysis and fast-paced CCTV inquiries were then able to identify the suspects.
“This is a clear message to anyone who thinks they can carry out smash-and-grab raids in London – we will identify you, we will track you down and we will bring you to justice.”
Full list of offences
Gibbs, of Talbot Road, Bayswater, was convicted of four counts of burglary on Sloane Street, St John’s Wood High Street, Duke Street and Marylebone High Street, and one of attempted burglary on Marylebone High Street.
Rigelsford, of Denmark Road, Kilburn, was convicted of three counts of burglary on Kensington Church Street, Duke Street and Mayfair, two thefts of a motor vehicle and one theft from a motor vehicle.
O’Hare, of Wormholt Road, Wormholt, was convicted of one count of burglary on Sloane Street, possession of Class A drugs and breach of a serious crime prevention order.
Hughes, of Grendon Street, Church Street, was convicted of two counts of burglary on Sloane Street and St John’s Wood High Street.
Munday, of Harrow Road, Hyde Park, was convicted of one count of burglary on Edgware Road.
McCready, of Grand Junction Place, Uxbridge, was convicted of one count of burglary on Edgware Road.
Windrass, of Park Crescent, Ascot, was convicted of one count of burglary on Edgware Road.
Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com
Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
