Local bank robber goes down for 10 years

The Flying Squad celebrated another success when serial armed robber Rashpal Singh, aged 29 pleaded guilty on 29 September at Isleworth Crown Court to five robberies and firearms offences against banks including some in the Ealing area.

Singh of Greenford, received 10 years imprisonment for the robberies and 6 years imprisonment for the firearms offences, to run concurrently.

All the robberies took place throughout the summer of 2004 in the West London area with Singh threatening staff with two handguns in each case.

The banks and building societies targeted were :

Lloyds TSB in Greenford Rd, Greenford on 14/6/04
Nationwide Building Society in Uxbridge Rd, Hayes on 16/6/04
Lloyds TSB in Uxbridge Rd, West Ealing W13 on 23.6.04
HSBC in South Ealing Rd, Ealing W5 on 28.6.04
Lloyds TSB in Northolt Rd, South Harrow on 29.6.04

Singh was arrested minutes after the last robbery, when a member of the public followed him and alerted police - he gave a commentary on Singh's location via his mobile telephone.

Altogether Singh netted £60,000 in cash of which £5,000 has been recovered by police.

The officer in charge of the investigation, DC Glenn Algar, said: "I am pleased with the sentence which reflects the serious nature of the offences. It is a miracle no-one was hurt since we know a firearm was discharged on one occasion."

Three private witnesses - the man with the mobile and two women who assisted him - were commended by the Judge and received awards from public funds for their actions.