Mohammed Basheeru, also known as Sonni Reid, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in an armed robbery at a bank in Sydenham.
On Monday, February 14, 2024, police responded to reports of an armed robbery at a high street bank in Sydenham. Two masked men entered the bank, threatening the cashier with a gun and demanding access to the till. They fled the scene with a quantity of cash, escaping down Venner Road.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad quickly obtained CCTV footage showing the suspects leaving the area in a car. Further investigation revealed that the same vehicle had picked up Basheeru from his home address before heading to the bank.
Inside the bank, officers identified Basheeru using footage that highlighted a slight deformity on his left ear. His prior criminal record also aided in confirming his identity. Basheeru was subsequently charged with the offence and pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on April 9, 2024.
Dorian Rankine, another individual involved in unrelated robberies, was also sentenced to ten years in prison after pleading guilty at Inner London Crown Court in January 2023.
Detective Constable Craig Prout from the Flying Squad expressed gratitude for the support of those affected by the incident, emphasising that justice had been served for the victims.
