Armed gang including teenage Albanian asylum seeker that bound and gagged a terrified family in their home then stole cash and jewellery worth £22,000 are jailed for 45 years

  • A gang of four men targeted a home in Northfleet, Kent, and broke in last year
  • They threatened to stab the children inside the home and fled with £22,000
  • The gang, including an asylum seeker, has been jailed for more than 45 years

An armed gang including three teenagers who terrorised a family during a £22,000 burglary has been jailed for more than 45 years.

Members of the group were wearing balaclavas and were wielding an imitation firearm, hammer, baseball bats and a knuckle duster during the raid. 

Michael Chambers, Satnam Singh, Duad Rrapi and Hekuran Uka lay in wait outside the home of Parmjit Bhandal and his wife Dalbeer Kaurin in Northfleet, Kent, before smashing their way in through a conservatory.   

During the break-in, they threatened to stab Mr Bhandal's children before fleeing with more than £22,000 in cash and expensive jewellery, a court heard.

Satnam Singh
Duad Rrapi

Satnam Singh (left) and Duad Rrapi (right) were part of the gang and broke into a house in Kent

Michael Chambers (pictured) admitted aggravated burglary and conspiracy to rob, as well as numerous other burglaries committed at other Co-op branches across Kent

Michael Chambers (pictured) admitted aggravated burglary and conspiracy to rob, as well as numerous other burglaries committed at other Co-op branches across Kent

Albanian asylum seeker Uka was just 16 at the time and whose last appeal against deportation had been unsuccessful just a few weeks prior to the raid in which he was armed with a bat.

Patrick Dennis, prosecuting, said Parmjit Bhandal was awoken by a punch to the face in the early hours of December 2 last year before being repeatedly struck with a knuckle duster and baseball bat.

Threats were made if money was not handed over, with one of the gang saying in reference to either Uka or fellow Albanian Rrapi: 'The Albanian will stab your kids if you don't tell us where the money is'.

Mr Dennis said: 'They clearly knew there were goods to a high value in the property. The victims are all extremely vehement in believing it was a real gun.'

Mr Bhandal's wife Dalbeer Kaur and two sons were also confronted as they slept, Maidstone Crown Court, Kent, heard.

The husband had pyjama bottoms forced into his mouth, while the children were gagged with a towel and religious scarf. Singh, 18, then pistol-whipped them with an imitation firearm.

In great fear, said Mr Dennis, the couple took the raiders to a room where the money and jewellery, some of great sentimental value, were kept.

The gang then bound Mr Bhandal's and his sons' hands and feet with belts, earphones and electrical cord before tying them to banisters. 

CCTV footage showed the car being re-fuelled and the offenders purchasing items from the store

CCTV footage showed the car being re-fuelled and the offenders purchasing items from the store

Satnam Singh (pictured) was seen at the service station as the car was being re-fuelled outside

Satnam Singh (pictured) was seen at the service station as the car was being re-fuelled outside

Having fled, also taking the property's CCTV system, Chambers and his accomplices drove off in his Honda CRV to Marden, near Maidstone, where it was later found burnt out.

They then caught a taxi to Thornton Heath near Croydon and were arrested. The court heard Mrs Kaur was left ungagged and untied and was able to free her family and police were called.

Less than two months earlier, 31-year-old Chambers, described by a judge as a ruthless criminal, was part of another gang which carried out a terrifying early morning raid on a Co-op store in Queenborough, Sheerness, Kent.

One lay in wait in the store overnight and then punched a female shop assistant in the face when she arrived for work. She was also threatened and robbed of over £5,000.

Chambers, of no fixed address, admitted aggravated burglary and conspiracy to rob, as well as numerous other burglaries committed at other Co-op branches across Kent.

He also pleaded guilty to burglary at Ashwal Garage in Cranbrook, Kent, and attempted burglary of Martin's Newsagents in Sevenoaks, Kent, as well as theft of transit vans and attempted robbery.

Chambers was jailed for 16 years under an extended sentence. He will have to serve two-thirds of the custodial term before parole is considered and, once released, will have a further two years added to his licence period.

Singh, of Thornton Heath, admitted aggravated burglary,possessing an imitation firearm, possessing drugs, and possessing criminal property. He was sentenced to 10 years' youth custody.

Rrapi, also 18, of no fixed address, admitted two offences of aggravated burglary and was sentenced to 13 years' youth custody. All three were sentenced on Tuesday.

Uka, now aged 17 and of Streatham, London, admitted aggravated burglary and was sentenced today to six years and eight months' youth custody.

The court heard he had been in foster care since a 'traumatic separation' from his family at 14, and seen numerous appeals for asylum status rejected.

A fifth male raider had not been identified.

Chambers and his accomplices drove off in his Honda CRV (pictured) to Marden, near Maidstone

Chambers and his accomplices drove off in his Honda CRV (pictured) to Marden, near Maidstone

The vehicle was later found burnt out (pictured) after it was driven by Chambers and the gang 

The vehicle was later found burnt out (pictured) after it was driven by Chambers and the gang 

Judge Adele Williams said the gang had terrified and humiliated their victims after deliberately targeting their home in Dogwood Close for 'significant sums'.

She said: 'It was a terrifying ordeal from which they are unsurprisingly struggling to recover. They are planning to move because they don't feel safe in their own home any longer.

'You have caused them great distress which will be long term. You have caused great psychological harm.'

Judge Williams also told Chambers an extended sentence was necessary as he posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public.

She added: 'You are in my judgement a ruthless criminal. You have expressed no real remorse and you have limited insight into your offending.'

In the raid on the Co-op store in Queenborough, one of a gang of six, including Chambers, hid in a roof cavity overnight after climbing through a second storey window.

The court heard when shop assistant Christine Adams arrived at 5.40am on September 18 last year to open up, he dropped down and punched her in the face.

The rest of the gang, also wearing balaclavas, joined him and forced Ms Adams to hand over £5,000 from the safe. They escaped in stolen VW Polo and Ford Mondeo cars. The Polo was later burnt out.

They were arrested and police found a bag of coins from the raid. Others have yet to stand trial on a conspiracy to rob charge.

The victim told in a statement how she was frightened and left traumatised by her ordeal, which she described as 'the worst incident' of her 21 years' employment.

Detective Constable Alan Poulton of Kent Police, said: 'This was a violent and incredibly terrifying burglary that has had a huge impact on the victims.

'These four offenders have made them feel vulnerable, and fearful, in their own home - a place where they should feel safe.

'This was a planned attack against innocent members of the public and shows these four men present a very real danger to society.

'Although this type of crime is extremely rare, members of the public should feel assured that Kent Police has the resources and expertise to relentlessly pursue offenders involved in organised crime and bring them to justice.' 

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