Railway Station Cashier Faked Robbery

From The British Transport Police Press Office:

A man who staged a fake robbery at Sydenham rail station has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

His son, with whom he conspired to stage the robbery, received a two-year supervision order and is required to undertake 200 hours community service.

Moses Kamara 57, and his son Alfred Kamara 24, both of Newark Street, Whitechapel, appeared before Southwark Crown Court for sentencing today, Thursday 13 August, after both pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal.

The pair, who attempted to get away with more than £9,000, was sentenced following an investigation by British Transport Police (BTP).

Moses Kamara, a ticket office clerk at Sydenham station, told police that he had been tied up at knifepoint in the office by a man who then stole £9,069 from the safe. However forensic evidence proved that the robber was in fact his son, Alfred Kamara.

“Very early on in the investigation it was clear that the account from the so called victim did not add up,” said investigating officer Detective Inspector Matt Wratten.

“As our enquiry progressed it soon became clear that we were looking not at a robbery, but rather a botched plan that involved a father and son out for financial gain.”

The incident occurred when Moses Kamara opened up the ticket office at around 6.00am on Monday, 26 January and alleged that he was confronted by a man carrying a knife.

Kamara claimed that the man bound his head with tape and tied his wrists with cable before forcing him to open the safe.

Following the incident another member of staff alerted BTP and officers attended the scene.

Detectives seized a number of items for forensic analysis, including the cable tie used to bind Moses Kamara’s wrists. DNA analysis indicated that saliva on the cable tie almost certainly belonged to a close relative of Moses Kamara.

Moses Kamara was arrested on Thursday 30 April and his son Alfred Kamara was arrested the following day, Friday 1 May.

When questioned, Moses Kamara denied conspiring with his son, initially claiming that he did not recognise his attacker. Once he was presented with the DNA evidence, however, he admitted that it was his son who robbed him but denied that he had anything to do with the offence.

Alfred Kamara, however, admitted to conspiring with his father to rob Sydenham booking office.

“We were able to retrieve DNA from where Alfred Kamara had used his mouth to tighten the cable around his father’s wrist,” added Det Insp Wratten.

“This is a prime example of how powerful forensic science can be when used in an investigation. Using recent developments in DNA procedures, we were able to firmly link father and son to this crime.

The pair was charged with conspiracy to steal and both pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday 1 July.

Moses Kamara was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Alfred Kamara received a two-year supervision order and is required to undertake 200 hours community service.