Five years for disguised boy robber

A schoolboy who wore a prosthetic disguise and hair pieces to carry out armed robberies has been sent to prison.

Miles Alura, 16, disguised himself as an elderly man to steal £50,000 of jewellery from a shop in Kent in July, and wore false dreadlocks during a robbery at a jewellers in Mayfair, London the month before, when he escaped with £100,000 of stock.

On both occasions he and a different accomplice threatened staff before tying them up and making their getaway.

Alura, of Camden Road, London, who was identified after reporting restrictions were lifted, was jailed at Kingston Crown Court for five years after admitting conspiracy to rob, two-and-a-half for possession of an imitation firearm and five years for robbery, to run concurrently.

Another 16-year-old boy, from Stoke Newington, London, was sentenced to three years in prison for robbery and conspiracy to rob, while a 15-year-old from Holloway, London was given a 12-month detention and training order for conspiracy to rob and possession of an imitation firearm.

Neither of Alura's accomplices, who also admitted the charges, can be named for legal reasons.

The court heard that on July 3 Alura and the 15-year-old went to a jewellers in Longfield, Kent. Alura, who was wearing facial prosthetics, make-up and a hair piece to disguise himself as an elderly man, produced two handguns and threatened staff.

Terrified workers and a dog were tied up using handcuffs and a dog lead, and the pair stole £50,000 of jewellery.

A member of the public called the police and Alura was arrested in a nearby garden, where officers also found the two guns and parts of his disguise. The 15-year-old boy was arrested after he ran to fields three miles away, during which time he got rid of most of his outer clothing.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad linked this robbery to another committed at a jewellers in Mayfair on June 7, by Alura and a 16-year-old boy.