Joshua and Tyrese Okello, two brothers who conspired to steal a PS5 from a man’s home in Hounslow, have been jailed after security camera footage captured the crime.
The robbery occurred in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2021. Luke Anderson, a marketing manager, had bought the PS5 for £450 with the intention of giving it as a gift, but when there were no takers, he decided to sell it online for £500. Anderson had CCTV cameras both inside and outside his home, which ultimately helped secure the conviction of the Okello brothers.
The brothers, who were seeking high-value items on online selling platforms like Gumtree, arranged to meet Anderson at his home in the Winston Churchill and Eglinton Avenue area. After initially calling Anderson with a suspicious request to meet at a pub car park, the brothers showed up at his doorstep. The video footage captured the theft in action, showing the brothers entering the house. One brother picked up the PS5, put it back down, and then the other grabbed the console and fled.
Although Anderson pursued them, he ultimately decided against further confrontation, fearing the robbers could have weapons. Speaking to the Mirror, Anderson later described the incident as “disgusting,” reflecting on how much worse it could have been if the victim had been vulnerable.
Following the incident, Anderson’s insurer initially refused to pay out, despite the security footage clearly showing the crime. However, after the robbery was covered in the Mirror, the insurer changed their decision and compensated Anderson for his loss.
Now, almost three years after the crime, Joshua Okello, 23, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to rob. His younger brother, Tyrese Okello, 20, has been given a two-year, six-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution, also for conspiracy to rob.
Anderson, now 40, shared his emotional reaction to the brothers’ conviction, expressing how the robbery had affected his life. He moved houses out of fear, especially since the perpetrators knew his address, which led to anxiety about his safety. Anderson also discussed his increased wariness about selling items online and the importance of security cameras in preventing such crimes.
The case highlights the growing concern over online marketplaces, like Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace, where robberies linked to these platforms are rising. Both Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace provide safety tips for buyers and sellers, but incidents like this show the importance of taking additional precautions, such as home security measures.