London Tube Robber Sentenced to Over Four Years for Violent Phone Thefts
A knife-wielding individual who committed a series of phone robberies on the London Underground, involving physical assault, has received a prison sentence of four-and-a-half years.
Fabian Pawlowski, 22, has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for a crime spree targeting passengers on London's Underground. The robberies, which occurred between April 27 and May 15 of this year, involved Pawlowski asking victims for their phones under the pretense of making a call, then threatening them with knives and, in one instance, punching a victim.
British Transport Police (BTP) released footage showing Pawlowski fleeing crime scenes at various stations. His spree began on April 27 at Harrow-on-the-Hill station, where he asked a passenger for his phone. After the victim retrieved the phone at Northwick Park, Pawlowski punched him in the face when confronted.
Three days later, Pawlowski returned to Harrow-on-the-Hill and, after appearing to reach into his pocket, convinced another man to hand over his phone, valued at over £1,000. The third incident took place on May 15 on a Jubilee Line train between Canning Town and North Greenwich. There, Pawlowski displayed two knives before stealing a man's phone and fleeing the train.
Detectives identified Pawlowski through CCTV and intelligence, leading to a manhunt and his arrest at Stratford station on June 16. He confessed to the offenses in July after being presented with evidence linking him to all three robberies.
At Harrow Crown Court on October 9, Pawlowski pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and two counts of possessing a bladed article. He received the four-and-a-half-year sentence. In a statement following the sentencing, a BTP spokesperson stated that Pawlowski's belief he could operate unnoticed was mistaken and highlighted the force's efforts in combating crime on the railway network.
Detective Constable Olesia Berdova added that Pawlowski's actions caused significant distress and fear, and praised the outcome of his substantial prison sentence. BTP encourages victims and witnesses of such crimes to report incidents by texting 61016.