Friday 27 November 2009

BTP bushcam

watch yourselves out there...



Graffiti gang who caused £270,000 damage to Tube and train carriages are due to be sentenced today.

For two years the six men, all aged 20-23 from the West London area committed over 125 acts of criminal damage.

Under the cover of darkness they broke into depots targeting tube trains and Southern Rail carriages.

Police even found hundreds of photos of the gang glorifying in their handywork - the Crown Prosecution Service said this was crucial in strengthening the case against them

The images helped establish which "tags" belonged to which gang member so prosecutors knew who had done what.

Nailed by a bottle of champagne

For detectives the investigation came together after a car was pulled over in Twickenham by police responding to alert which linked the car to a theft of champagne. In the boot of the red Fiat Punto, police found an assortment of spray cans, bolt cutters, gloves and several photos of sprayed trains.

BTP Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Shanahan said:

"Cameras at stations and depots filmed their brazen acts of vandalism and we used this footage to get clear facial images of them.

They were intent on criminality and went to great lengths to plan their attacks on trains.

They did not commit random acts of vandalism but conspired together to go out and commit crime."

Howard Collins, Chief Operating Officer of London Underground said:

"The group’s actions cost thousands of pounds and resulted in trains being taken out of service. As well as causing unnecessary delays and distress to our passengers, they also put their own lives in danger."

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