Rush Green and East Ham men jailed for 16 car thefts across east London

Left to right: Kyron Roberts, John Philpott, and Astin Cockley

Three men from Rush Green and East Ham has been sentenced following a series of high-value vehicle thefts across east London.

Kyron Roberts, Astin Cockley, and John Philpott were involved in 16 thefts between April and October 2019.

The trio were caught after being pursued in a stolen Audi SQ5, which they rammed into a police car in their attempts to escape justice.

CCTV evidence linking them to other incidents also showed past chases where they rammed officers.

PC Grace Turner, from Central East Basic Command Unit’s Crime Squad, said: “These men went on a rampage of stealing and attempting to steal high value vehicles, particularly a Range Rover Evoque, in and around east London.

“They drove dangerously around London, showing no concern for the safety of those around them. They violently rammed the vehicles they had stolen into police cars, in a bid to escape arrest, again showing little regard for the safety of the officers inside.”

Video of police trying to stop the trio in a Range Rover in June 2019

Roberts, 21, of Rush Green Road, was jailed for two years and nine months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal at Wood Green Crown Court.

He was also given a six-month sentence behind bars for a separate offence of conspiracy to burgle. That was in relation to an incident in Hertfordshire in March 2018. The two sentences will run consecutively.

Cockley, 20, of Lonsdale Close, East Ham, was sentenced to three years in a young offenders’ institute for conspiracy to steal, two counts of dangerous driving, two counts of driving without a licence and two counts of driving without insurance. He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

Philpott, 19, of Sibley Grove, East Ham, was sentenced to three years in a young offenders’ institute for conspiracy to steal, driving without licence and driving without insurance. He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

PC Turner added: “I am pleased the vehicles stolen in this conspiracy have been located and returned to their rightful owners and that fortunately no member of the public or law enforcement was seriously injured by the reckless actions of these individuals.

“This case should send a clear message to anyone who may believe they can easily evade police in such cases, that we will use all powers available to us to identify you, and bring you before the courts.”