Two Convicted in London Watch Robberies Involving 'Zombie Knives'

Two men have been sentenced for their involvement in two violent robberies that occurred within minutes of each other in the City of London. Agandy Anderson, 30, and Kayne Stewart, 27, acted as getaway drivers for attackers who wielded "zombie knives" and stole three watches valued at approximately £1,000.

The incidents took place just before 3 a.m. on September 8, 2024. The first robbery occurred on Appold Street, where two assailants emerged from a BMW and confronted a group of pedestrians. The attackers, described as brandishing "zombie knives," demanded watches. During a struggle, one man was stabbed twice in the buttocks and sustained a head wound, losing a watch worth £400. A woman in the group was kicked in the head, and another man had his watch, valued at £200, forcibly taken.

Five minutes later, a second BMW arrived at Curtain Road, near the junction of Scrutton Street and Holywell Row. Two more thugs exited the vehicle and threatened a group of two men and two women who were entering their car. One victim had his watch, worth £400, stolen after being hit in the face, though he sustained only minor injuries.

Anderson, identified as the driver in one of the incidents, pleaded guilty to both robberies and received a nine-year and six-month prison sentence. Stewart, the driver in the other robbery, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years and six months. The court acknowledged the impact on the victims, with one stating in a victim impact statement that the attacks had instilled a "general fear" for his safety and that of his loved ones.

Police identified a third accomplice, Dogukan Aktas, 26, as the individual suspected of carrying out the stabbing during the first robbery. Aktas has not been apprehended and is believed to be in Switzerland. Detectives have engaged Interpol in their efforts to locate him.

Detective Sergeant Amy Westall of the City of London Police described the attacks as "exceptionally violent" and noted the offenders' "complete disregard for the safety of their victims." She commended the victims' cooperation and the effectiveness of the city's CCTV network in aiding the investigation. "While two members of this gang have now been sentenced, our work is not over," Westall stated, emphasizing the ongoing pursuit of the remaining suspect and the force's commitment to making the city streets safer.