A pair of “experienced bag snatchers” who targeted victims at station cafes have been jailed – two-and-a-half months after being arrested at London Bridge.
Hernan Montero-Villegas, 54, and Miguel Angel Contreras-Nova, 39, got eighteen and fourteen-month sentences respectively.
PC Steve Bryan said: “Montero-Villegas and Contreras-Nova are clearly experienced bag snatchers who have refined their tactics to avoid being detected by the unsuspecting victims they target.”
“I hope the adequately long prison terms handed down to them provide the three victims with the comfort of justice being served,” he added.
People were targeted at Waterloo, Liverpool Street and St Pancras stations.
On February 25, a 54-year-old woman, who was sat drinking a cup of tea in Liverpool Street station’s Soho Coffee café, fell victim to Montero-Villegas.
Alleged flasher with nunchucks in a rucksack arrested at Queens Road Peckham station
He spotted her bag on the floor and manoeuvred it away with his foot before concealing it with his own rucksack.
Montero-Villegas then left with her bag which contained €100, £40, her driving licence, bank cards and a phone charger.
On March 22, Montero-Villegas and Contreras-Nova struck at the Starbucks inside Waterloo Station, this time targeting a 50-year-old woman.
Contreras-Nova pretended to be on the phone and walked around the café while Montero-Villegas again used his foot to take the bag away from the victim.
He picked it up and left the café along with Contreras-Nova.
The woman’s bag contained a purse with £200 inside and other items including reading glasses and an umbrella.
The third offence took place on March 28 in the Paul Express cafe in St Pancras Station, where the pair combined to steal a 50-year-old man’s satchel.
Inside were two Eurostar tickets, a film script, earphones, a phone charger and his passport.
Two days later, on March 30, a British Transport Police officer spotted the pair while patrolling London Bridge station.
The officer arrested them in connection to the bag thefts.
Once in police custody, they were further arrested for money laundering and being in possession of more than £3,000.
Montero-Villegas and Contreras-Nova, both of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft and one count of money laundering.
A judge handed them their sentences, a combined 32 months, at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, June 8.
PC Steve Bryan said: “What they failed to realise is that the railway is a CCTV-rich environment and here at BTP we are relentless in our pursuit of thieves. We won’t stop until they’re put before the courts.
“If you’re a victim of theft on the railway, report it to us as soon as possible by texting 61016 – we’ll always take swift action.”
