Jewel robber jailed for role in £2.5m attacks on dealers

A DIAMOND robber was jailed for 10 years yesterday for his role in a £2.5m plot to snatch gems from travelling dealers.

Jose-Jov Torres, 32, who admitted he was the driver in two of nine raids across the UK, between October 2009 and February this year, was jailed at London's Blackfriars Crown Court.

Torres was snared after his DNA was found on a cigarette butt on the ground next to the Audi A4 getaway car. He also left a BlackBerry stolen from one victim at the scene of his second attack, full of photos of himself.

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The Mexican's details were on a crime database because he was cautioned for possessing cannabis in 2008.

In the five-month spree, members of the South American gang trailed businessmen as they moved around the UK selling diamonds and gold .

One victim had a screwdriver held to his throat at the wheel of his Jaguar before losing 55,000 of jewellery to the thugs.

And a businessman's car was rammed repeatedly by the thieves who made off with jewellery worth 130,000.

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One other member of the gang has been brought to justice after earlier admitting at Sheffield Crown Court a robbery.

Judge Ian Karsten QC described the heists as "sophisticated and well-planned'' and a "truly terrifying experience for the victims''.

Torres bowed his head and wiped a tear from his eye as he heard his fate.

The gang first struck on October 17 at Winscar Reservoir, near Barnsley, after following a driver and his passenger from Manchester and repeatedly ramming into their car.

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They made off with 130,000 of jewellery and another 35,000 in cash belonging to the Hong Kong businessmen Chung Ming Cheung and Yatwai Lee.

Frederico Salamanca, 30, was jailed for nine years for his role in that robbery.

The court heard that on in December the gang struck again in east London stealing a bag containing 250,000 worth of jewels.

A German dealer also lost 600,000 worth of gems at Paddington Station. The moment he let go of his briefcase in a queue it was swiped.

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Torres, of no fixed address but based in south London, admitted two counts of robbery. He denied conspiracy to rob.

Salamanca, of Melbourne Court, Penge, London, admitted at Sheffield Crown Court a single robbery.

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