The 18-year-old pleaded guilty of five counts of robbery (credit: Met Police)
Joseph Oluwasanni, of Lucerne Way, targeted the victims, four of which were elderly, on different days between Saturday, 24 April and Wednesday, 5 May at the TSB ATM on Hilldene Avenue.
The 18-year-old pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday, 23 June of five counts of robbery.
In all cases, Oluwasanni approached the victim using the machine and either distracted them or pushed them out of the way to gain access to the machine and steal cash.
Each time £200 was taken.
Detectives from the East Area Command Gangs Unit were deployed to conduct plain clothed patrols in the area around the ATM in response to the robberies.
Officers caught Oluwasanni as he attempted to make off following his fifth theft of £200 from a customer at the machine.
He was arrested and taken to an east London police station where he was charged on Thursday, 6 May with five counts of robbery.
Detective Sergeant, Stephen Katete of the East Area Command Burglary and Robbery Investigation Team said: “While it is almost laughable that Oluwasanni was robbing people at the nearest ATM to his home address, there is no humour to be found in the impact that his actions will have had on the people that he targeted, four of whom were pensioners.
“None of the victims were seriously injured during the robberies, but as police are acutely aware, there are often long-lasting effects to becoming a victim of crime, many of which run far deeper than a loss of cash.
“As if to add insult to injury, he initially had the temerity to plead not guilty, despite having been caught in the act by police officers.
“I hope that the guilty plea he entered today that has resulted in his conviction goes some small way to restoring the personal confidence of the victims in this case and that they feel that justice has been served.”
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Tags: Romford, Havering, Harold Hill, Metropolitan Police
