A former G4S security guard has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison for a heist that netted £117,200. Kwabena Kissi, 40, utilized his old G4S uniform, helmet, and a face mask to impersonate a current guard at a Santander bank in Brixton, south London, on July 5, 2022.

Footage played in court showed Kissi entering the bank carrying a security briefcase. He was able to dupe bank staff into granting him access to a secure area, where they handed him bags containing the cash. Kissi then left the premises with the money. He was later seen on CCTV changing his clothes and placing the cash into a bin bag before ordering an Uber to escape.

The deception was only discovered when the legitimate G4S guard arrived for the scheduled Tuesday collection. Kissi fled to Accra, Ghana, the day after the heist, remaining there for nearly four years to care for his ailing mother. He had never returned his G4S uniform after resigning in 2020.

Kissi's plan unraveled on March 26 of this year when he returned to the UK. He was arrested at Gatwick Airport after booking an Uber using his real name and phone number, which alerted authorities. During his arrest, officers found he was carrying the same phone he had used during the 2022 heist.

Kissi was arrested at Gatwick Airport in March this year after police caught him ordering an Uber with his real name and phone number

He initially claimed mistaken identity, but the phone evidence linked him directly to the crime. Kissi pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation in April. A second charge of possessing criminal property was dropped.

During sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge Rosa Dean stated that Kissi had exploited his "inside knowledge." The court heard that £256,000 had been prepared for collection, of which Kissi stole £117,200. Bank staff were left "extremely upset" by the incident, though no employees faced disciplinary action.

Kissi was jailed for three years and four months at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Sentencing, Judge Rosa Dean told him that he had exploited his 'inside knowledge'

Detective Constable Stuart Ponder of the Metropolitan Police highlighted the extensive CCTV and phone evidence used to identify Kissi. He noted that the police had monitored Kissi's movements and were prepared to arrest him upon his return to the UK, emphasizing the force's commitment to securing justice for high-value thefts.