An 18-year-old Nigerian man caught in the act of committing an ATM robbery at local shops by police has been convicted at court.

The convict, Joseph Oluwasanni of Lucerne Way, Harold Hill, Romford, pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday, 23 June of five counts of robbery.

According to a statement on Metropolitan Police website, Oluwasanni was remanded in custody to appear for sentencing at the same court on Tuesday, 7 September.

The robberies were committed against separate victims on different days between Saturday, 24 April and Wednesday, 5 May at the TSB ATM on Hilldene Avenue, Harold Hill.

In all cases, Oluwasanni approached the person using the machine and either distracted them or pushed them out of the way to gain access to the machine and steal cash.

In response to the robberies, detectives from the East Area Command Gangs Unit were deployed to conduct plain clothed patrols in the area around the ATM.

On 5 May the officers caught Oluwasanni as he attempted to make off following his fifth theft of £200 (about N120,000) from a customer at the machine. He was arrested and was taken to an east London police station where he was charged on Thursday, 6 May with five counts of robbery.

(Source: Sahara Reporters)