It’s 12 years for bank robber, whose deformed left ear gave the game away

A man has been sentenced for an armed robbery carried out at a bank in Sydenham.

Mohammed Basheeru, 44, also known as Sonni Reid, of London Road, Croydon, appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison having pleaded guilty to robbery at an earlier hearing.

Police were called just before 11.30am on Monday, February 14, to reports of an armed robbery at a high street bank in Sydenham.

The court heard that two men wearing face coverings entered the premises and demanded that the cashier open the till while she had a gun pointed at her by his accomplice.

The pair stole a quantity of cash. They then made off with the money down Venner Road, where they were seen by a witness.

CCTV footage captured the two men four minutes later in a road close to the incident, leaving in a car, away from the scene. Officers established that the same vehicle was used to collect Basheeru from his home address before travelling towards the bank.

More footage inside the bank showed the suspects entering the bank. From it, detectives were able to identify Basheeru by the slight deformity on his left ear, as he was already known to them.

Basheeru initially denied any involvement in the robbery. He was charged with the offence and pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on April 9.

Dorian Rankine, 43, of Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, appeared at Inner London Crown Court on January 27 2023, where he pleaded guilty to robbery and two other unrelated robberies. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Detective Constable, Craig Prout from the Flying Squad said: “This was a terrifying incident for the people involved. We’re grateful for their support, which has now meant that the two offenders have been brought to justice.”

Pictured top: Mohammed Basheeru (Picture: The Met)