Five men involved in a brazen daylight ram-raid on a Birmingham jewellery shop have been ordered by a court to repay almost £250,000 or face additional time behind bars.
The Terrifying Daylight Heist
The incident unfolded on March 3, 2022, at Danyaal Jewellers on Ladypool Road in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham. The gang used a stolen Toyota Hilux to smash directly into the front of the store in a shocking display of criminal audacity.
Once access was gained, three of the men, armed with a sledgehammer, entered the premises. They proceeded to smash two display cabinets and began frantically filling bags with stolen jewellery. A fourth accomplice remained at the wheel of the vehicle, while a fifth man took on a 'crowd control' role, menacingly waving an axe at members of the public who witnessed the event.
Investigation and Conviction
The entire robbery was captured on the shop's CCTV system, and additional mobile phone footage was taken by bystanders, providing damning evidence. Following a thorough investigation and a four-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court, all five men were found guilty of conspiracy to rob and possessing an offensive weapon.
The convicted men are:
- John Gourlay, 49, from Pershore Road, Selly Oak
- Trevor Leek, 44, of Southgate Road, Kingstanding
- Justin Boylan, 51, of Schoolacre Road, Shard End
- Arfan Latif, 38, from Kinver Croft, Balsall Heath
- Hassan Zulfiqar, 26, also from Kinver Croft
They were handed combined prison sentences totalling 72-and-a-half years.
Recovering the Proceeds of Crime
The police's Economic Crime Unit conducted a lengthy probe into the gang's assets. As a result, a judge has now issued a confiscation order. The men must repay £180,075 within three months, or they will each be handed a further nine-month prison sentence.
The remaining balance of the full benefit figure will remain with the gang for life, meaning they are legally obliged to pay back the full amount whenever they have the means to do so.
Financial Investigator Andrew Reedman, who led the investigation, stated: "This was a serious offence and had a major impact on the victims and the business involved. Our role does not stop when offenders are sentenced by the court, we will seek to recover the proceeds of crime from offenders utilising all powers available to us to ensure that crime doesn’t pay."
