T wo males have been discovered responsible in a £1m cash-in-transit theft plot in east London.
Andrew Measor, 51, and Stefano Cantaris, 39, had roles in a theft plot on December 30, 2021 by which Measor, a money van driver, pretended to have been the sufferer of an armed heist.
The courtroom heard how the plot was rigorously deliberate over two years involving burner telephones and ‘mission vehicles’ in a bid to keep away from detection. The money has not but been recovered.
It heard how Measor left residence in Loughton in December 2021 and was met on the doorstep by a balaclava-clad man with a gun.
He claimed the armed man had threatened to hurt his sleeping household except he adopted the gang’s orders.
He stated he was given a disposable cellphone and a number of other massive laundry baggage and ordered to drive to his depot and gather £920,000 in banknotes and almost £15,000 in cash.
CCTV captured him placing the cash into the baggage shortly after beginning his shift after which driving to a mud observe highway off Friary Lane in Woodford.
Andrew Measor / Met Police
All through he pretended he was underneath duress on CCTV however was simply performing to appear like a real sufferer.
After he pulled over in Woodford, three males jumped out of a Vauxhall Combo van and black VW Golf on cloned plates and took the money and cellphone.
Measor then drove the van to the close by Oak Lane and handcuffed himself to the steering wheel.
He known as his employer and claimed he had been robbed – saying he had to make use of his nostril to name for assist.
However police quickly turned suspicious as a result of it was apparent those that staged the heist had inside information.
Measor claimed he was traumatised from the theft and was signed off sick, however texts revealed his boasts of “milking day without work,” and feigning PTSD for compensation.
Convicted: Stefanos Cantaris / Met Police
Detectives found Measor and Stefanos Cantaris have been related and had been involved with each other to plot the heist.
They met a number of instances beforehand at areas they later returned to on the day of the theft, utilizing burner telephones which have been destroyed.
Faux quantity plates have been used on not less than 4 totally different vehicles, a few of which had a number of units of cloned plates which have been interchangeable swapped.
The entire vehicles have been crushed hours after the theft.
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Hillier, from the Met’s Flying Squad, stated: “This case is an instance of how far proactive policing can go, it was a considerable investigation however has paid off following the end result in courtroom.
“The 2 males performed their half in executing the plan however they weren’t as profitable as they’d hoped in overlaying their tracks. The extent of planning reveals how decided they have been to succeed.
“Our enquiries to hint the stolen money continues.”
Measor, of Danbury Highway, Loughton, was discovered responsible of conspiracy to steal and perverting the course of justice at Southwark Crown Court docket on Tuesday.
Stefano Cantaris, of Albany Court docket, Epping, pleaded responsible to conspiracy to steal and was discovered responsible of perverting the course of justice
They have been each discovered not responsible of transferring felony property. They are going to be sentenced on the similar courtroom on Friday, March 24.