Two brothers who boldly swiped a PlayStation5 from inside their victim’s home have been sent to jail after home security footage captured their daring heist.
Joshua Okello and his younger brother Tyrese scoured Gumtree for valuable items before targeting Luke Anderson’s residence in Hounslow, west London just before Christmas 2021. Luke had purchased the coveted PS5 console for £450 on Amazon, intending it as a potential Christmas gift for his family.
However, with no buyers in sight, he decided to list it on Gumtree for £500 to make a small profit. Fortunately, Luke had CCTV cameras both inside and outside his home, which recorded the brothers in action.
A shaken Luke recounted to the Mirror shortly after the incident in 2021: “One guy asked if he could come to my house. But then he called and asked to meet in a car park by a pub. I thought, ‘Sounds dodgy’. I said, ‘No, you have my address’. I answered the door and one person came in, then a second man, who wasn’t invited, came in. The first man picked up the product and put it back down.
“Then, the second grabbed it and ran out. They ran out the house and I ran out, trying to catch them. I had some builders in the house who ran out with me. I noticed there were more people outside. I’m a big guy but I did stop and think, ‘It’s not worth it. They could have acid or knives, and it’s a PS5’. If it had been an old lady, it could have been terrible. It’s disgusting.”
Despite initial reluctance from Luke’s insurers to compensate him, they eventually changed their stance after coverage of the robbery in the Mirror, and he was reimbursed for his loss. Now, almost three years later, two of the culprits have been sentenced. Joshua Okello, 23, received three years and nine months for conspiracy to rob, while his younger brother Tyrese Okello, 20, was handed two years and six months in a young offenders’ institute for the same charge.
Reflecting on the convictions of the brothers, Luke, now 40 and a father of one, expressed: “I gave the footage to the police and told them I have video of them inside and outside the house, I was then called in to do an identity parade, then it went quiet and I’ve finally had a message to say they’ve been convicted.
“I’ve had to move house, my girlfriend was pregnant at the time and it makes you think about the area I want to start a family in. These people knew where I lived, I was afraid to go to my home, I was really concerned and anxious about it all. The robbery was the main factor in us moving.
“I’ve been wary about selling things on Gumtree now, I’m definitely more wary about who is coming, I check how long they’ve been on Gumtree for, have they had good reviews, but also the cameras are so important. If it wasn’t for my Ring camera they wouldn’t have been caught. I have them outside and inside my property and always have them recording if I go out. It just gives me some peace of mind. It’s a good backup to prove what has happened.”
At the time of the crime in November 2021, the Mirror had identified 60 robberies connected to Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace in the previous five years. Both platforms emphasized safety tips for users.
Gumtree stated: “We are appalled to hear of this. We urge anyone who encounters suspicious or criminal behavior to contact the police and to report it to us immediately through the ‘Report’ button listed next to all ads.” Meta, owner of Facebook, advised: “We encourage users to never meet up with a purchaser alone – always take a friend and meet in a well-lit place.”
A spokesperson from the Met Police remarked: “The Okello brothers carried out a large number of offenses across a short period of time, often targeting members of the public who had advertised items for sale. The linked series of offenses was taken on by officers from the West Area Command Unit; the Okellos were quickly identified as suspects and arrested, with stolen items recovered and returned to their owners where possible.
“After a thorough investigation was conducted, the evidence against both was overwhelming leaving them with little option but to plead guilty. Anyone who has been a victim of robbery is urged to get in contact with police as soon as possible so evidence can be gathered and those responsible held accountable.”