Police warn gangs as Berry's Jewellers raider jailed

Aug 5 2009 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

“We are hoping the sentences given to these two criminals will filter through to their families and people in other countries that we will not tolerate it and you will get caught.”

CCTV footage released by officers immediately after the terrifying robbery showed Raaga smash a display cabinet with a claw hammer which detectives later recovered from the scene.

Almost the entire £130,000 selection of designer watches was recovered after police in Kent performed the routine stop of a late-night coach in Dover. The pieces were then returned to their owners in Newcastle who have since installed full-time security on their doors.

Immediately after the raid, Newcastle detectives began liaising with the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and Europol.

Today Det Chief Insp Jim Hetherington, of Newcastle Area Command, vowed to stamp out violent criminal gangs who flout the law on Tyneside.

He said: “We won’t tolerate violent behaviour in Newcastle and we’ll continue to work hard to identify offenders and secure evidence to have dangerous people such as Raaga put behind bars.

“It just goes to show that whether criminals live in the city, across the region or anywhere in the world, if they come to Newcastle to commit crime we’ll do everything to put them before the courts.”