A VIOLENT gang which carried out a spree of robberies has been caged.
The masked crew used pickaxes, crowbars and hammers to frighten shop staff before fleeing with cash.
Two members of the group robbed Elmers Pharmacy, Upper Elmers End Road, Elmers End, and terrified a female worker.
One forced the woman into the rear of the shop, demanded to know the location of the safe and forced her to the ground.
The second held her down while the first searched her before the pair fled with cash.
A total of nine robberies were attributed to various members of the four-strong crew, who were arrested after a Flying Squad operation.
Each of them pleaded guilty to several charges of robbery and they were all sentenced to six years in jail at Inner London Crown Court.
The jobless quartet, all aged 21, were Patrick Kingonzila, of Wellesley Road, Croydon, Trevor Le Blanc, of Maberly Road, Norwood, Liam McCauley, of Dunley Drive, New Addington, and Dwight Brown, of no fixed abode.
Investigating officer Detective Inspector Vince Payne said: “These four dangerous men terrorised their victims and escaped with a large quantity of cash.” Le Blanc and McCauley were convicted for the robbery of Elmers Pharmacy, which occurred on September 3, 2002.
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