Detective Inspector Tom Lyons, from the West Midlands Police Major Crime Unit, said after the trial: "This was a calculated series of robberies with Hadza, Alezawy, Hasan, Omar, and Sharif, deliberately targeting victims because they believed they were vulnerable, easy targets. My team conducted a lengthy investigation which required piecing together many strands of evidence."

"I know that it took the victims in this case a huge amount of bravery and courage to come forward and support the criminal justice process through to trial - and I commend them for doing so," he continued.

The convicted men's mugshots, courtesy of the West Midlands Police Department:


Abubaker Alezawy


Demalji Hadza


Mohammed Sharif



Ali Hassan


Wasim Omar