East London News A Force for the community…
SHE COMMITTED robberies and thefts on buses criss-crossing Hackney, and now Gloria Makanjuola, 28, of no fixed address has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
Ms Makanjuola was found guilty of eight counts of robbery, four of theft and four of fraud when she appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court in July. She has now appeared again, at Snaresbrook Crown Court, for sentencing.
The various offences were committed in September and October 2018. Although they sound like minor offences, each had a human victim – and Ms Makanjuola had a range of victims, aged from 18 to 87.
•Some of the thefts were quite skilled. Ms Makanjuola sat next to an 18 year old passenger on the 277, talked to her and began crying. The passenger told Ms Makanjuola to leave her alone, but after Ms Makanjuola pressed the emergency button and got off the bus the vicim realised her purse and Oyster Card were missing.
•Other incidents were less skillful. Ms Makanjuola was much more open when she rifled the pockets of an 87 year old fellow passenger on a route 30 bus: he wasn’t able to stop her taking £80, though he knew what she was up to.
Ms Makanjuola was stopped after a comprehensive police investigation which viewed CCTV and worked with victims to identify their suspect. Detective Sergeant Coleman, the senior investigating officer, from the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC), said: “Gloria Makanjuola was a prolific offender in the Hackney area. […] Working in partnership with the Safer Transport Teams and Transport for London, Makanjuola was identified and arrested for various robbery and theft related offences. I would like to thank the victims in this investigation who had the courage to report these matters and assist in the police investigation. Without their support this outcome would not have been possible.”
In a final twist of irony, it was disclosed at the sentencing hearing that Ms Makanjuola was already in prison – serving a two year sentence for committing an earlier round of similar offences in Hackney.
•Read more about it:
Ilford man wanted for questioning
Newham man jailed for stalking
