Bizarre disguises of the bookmaker’s robber
A robber who wore a mask which made him look ‘like something out of a horror film’ has been jailed for ten years.
Andrae Moncrieffe, 37, also disguised himself with a top hat and cane as he carried out a series of raids on bookmakers with an imitation revolver hidden in a pillow case.
But Moncrieffe was given away by his distinctive Jamaican accent and when the Flying Squad caught up with him they found a stash of robbery props in his car.
In the boot were a grey pillow case, a blue white rimmed beanie hat, a top hat complete with walking stick and a homemade imitation firearm.
Moncrieffe denied the allegations but was convicted last week after a trial at Inner London Crown Court.
Staff at each of the bookmakers described his distinctive Jamaican accent.
During the first robbery on the evening of 15 December Moncrieffe threatened a Peckham Rye staff member, but was only able to steal her wallet as she ran away screaming.
About three hours later he went into a Denmark Hill bookmakers and put a member of staff in a headlock, pointing a gun at his head and demanded ‘the money’.
Staff gave him cash available from the shop drawer but would not open the safe for him.
On 27 December he entered a bookmakers wearing the mask, sunglasses, a top hat and a walking stick.
Staff began throwing money at him after he showed them the weapon and threatened to kill them if they didn’t hand over cash.
Another staff member tried to close the front door on him but changed their mind when he showed them the realistic looking weapon.
Detective Chief Inspector Ann Marie Waller, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: ‘These robberies were absolutely terrifying ordeals for the staff members and customers involved.
‘They were all in fear for their lives as they truly believed that Moncrieffe was armed.
‘Moncrieffe went to great lengths to try and conceal his identity, including wearing a prosthetic rubber face mask that looked like something out of a horror film.’
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