Machete gang leader avoids jail over 'farcical' plan to rob Leeds Argos delivery drivers
A gang’s plan to rob courier drivers of expensive digital equipment from Argos at knifepoint turned into a farce after they became confused with delivery times.
The inept group, led by Yoram Kidane, devised the half-baked idea to order Apple and other expensive items online, then rob the delivery drivers of the parcels using electric bikes and carrying machetes.
They then planned to seek refunds on the items they had bought but were obviously not delivered.
The robbery never took place due the group’s uncertainty over delivery times, and also that one of the gang had to pray during the potential delivery times.
It was labelled as “simple” and “sophisticated”, but ultimately “farcical” by the judge who sentenced 21-year-old Kidane at Leeds Crown Court.
Kidane, of Oakroyd Fold, Morley, admitted a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery.
The plan was uncovered after one of the suspects was arrested in February for unrelated matters. His mobile phone was analysed and evidence of the planned robbery was uncovered through messages between the plotters.
It was found that Kidane had put £800 into an account to fund the purchases and sent messages telling others to buy machetes from a shop in Bradford, “burner” phones with SIMs, electric bikes and instructed them to bring two sets of clothes for the robbery so they could escape undetected.
Pictures of the machetes purchased were then sent to Kidane. Prosecutor James Yearsley said Kidane clearly had a leading role in the plans.
Mitigating, Imran Khan, said it was a “deeply regrettable situation” for Kidane, who had never been in trouble before.
He added: “He fully recognises the gravity of his offending. He still seems to be very immature.”
He said he was in debt to a drug dealer who had made threats against him and his family, claiming it was his “only option”. He said he had also applied to study business management at university and had distanced himself from the others involved.
Judge Singh told Kidane: “It was planned with precision and ultimately ended in a farce.
“It may be simple but it was sophisticated in its planning. You are not sophisticated criminals, you even got the time wrong in the delivery.”
But because of a lack of previous convictions and his young age, he opted to give him a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, with 240 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation days.
Meanwhile, charges against another defendant in relation to the robbery plan have since been dropped, one is awaiting sentence while another suspect is due to stand trial.