Two men have been jailed for a combined 14 years for their roles in a violent watch theft spree in the City of London. Agandy Anderson, 30, and Kayne Stewart, 27, were part of a larger group who forcibly removed three watches during the late-night attacks on September 30, 2024. The victim of one robbery, who was stabbed twice, said in a statement that he no longer trusts strangers and now lives in fear for his safety.
Violent Attacks on Appold Street and Curtain Road
Shortly before 3am, two armed suspects jumped out of a BMW on Appold Street to confront three people heading home from a night out. Brandishing 'zombie' knives, the pair removed a £400 Citizen watch from one of the male victims and stabbed him twice in the buttocks. They also brutally kicked a woman in the head and put another man into a headlock, before snatching his £200 Bulova watch.
The gang then struck again just five minutes after fleeing the first bloody scene. On Curtain Road, the thugs shouted "give me your watch" as they approached two men and a woman returning to their car. One of the victims was hit in the face as the gang aggressively grabbed his £400 T-Classic watch. CCTV captured both violent attacks.
Sentencing and Ongoing Investigation
Anderson, of no fixed abode, and Stewart, of Milton Way, Dunstable, were identified as drivers of separate vehicles involved in the thefts. They were sentenced to nine years and six months and four years and six months in prison, respectively. City of London Police believe Dogukan Aktas, 26, was also part of the four-man group on the night of the robberies. He was last believed to be in Switzerland, with officers working with Interpol to make an arrest.
Detective Inspector Amy Westall said: "While two members of this gang have now been sentenced, our work is not over. A third individual has been arrested who is suspected of carrying out the stabbing, remains at large in Europe and was last known to be in Switzerland. We are continuing to pursue all available lines of enquiry and have not given up on bringing him before the courts. The City of London Police is relentless in pursuing those who commit violent crime and to make City streets safer."
Victim Impact and Police Commitment
In an impact statement, the first victim said: "My overall feeling is of general fear, for my own safety in life, as well as being fearful of the safety of my loved ones. This incident has lifted away a blanket of blissful ignorance and now I really see what the world can be like and what others are capable of. I don’t trust any random person when I’m out in the street. When someone walks past too closely, if someone is looking at me in a certain way, or has locked eyes with me for more than a second, I am nervous about what they might do."
Westall added: "We will continue to use every tool available to identify offenders, protect the public and make the City a hostile environment for criminals." The investigation remains ongoing as police pursue the third suspect, with Interpol assisting in efforts to locate him in Switzerland.
