This is the dramatic moment  police officers captured red handed a moped gang behind a series of burglars at mobile phone shops in south London.

The three man crime wave who got away with thousands of pounds worth of mobile phones from shops in Sutton, Croydon, Bromley, and Woolwich during a two-week spate, were  jailed today at London Inner Crown Court.

The trio Troy Adolfess, 24, George Ventham, 23 and Reece Buttery, 23, used  mopeds to get away after committing the burglaries at seven stores in August last year.

The men were finally brought to justice after they were caught in the act by local police officers in Peckham at 1.18am on Wednesday August 29 which was captured CCTV.

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It was at the seventh location at the EE Store, Rye Lane that police spotted two mopeds at the location and noticed that the entrance to the shop was smashed. As the officers approached, Ventham climbed out from the shop and got onto the back of a moped ridden by Buttery and both made off.

Adolfess then came out of the shop and tried to flee but was tasered, detained and arrested at the scene, where his mobile phone was also seized.

Ventham and Buttery returned on their moped and tried to help Adolfess escape, but were unsuccessful and again, they fled.

Officers from Operation Venice, which is dedicated to tackling moped enabled crime, led the investigation and connected the defendants to a linked series of similar offences.

They were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary between 14 August and 29 August 2018 at Inner London Crown Court.

Adolfess,  of Hamilton Road, Thornton Heath was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment;

Ventham,  of Carshalton Road, Sutton, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit burglary, and a further eight months for possession with intent to supply cannabis which he had pleaded guilty to – these sentences will run consecutively. Buttery,  of Knights Hill, West Norwood was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.

The court heard that between Tuesday August 14 and Wednesday August 29, 2018, the men targeted five EE shops and one O2 mobile store getting away with £50,000 worth of mobile phones.

Aldofess, Ventham  and a yet unidentified suspect carried out the break-ins from August 14 to August 24 in the early hours at  the O2 Store, in High Street, Sutton,  and the EE Store in the same  High Street and EE premises in Balham High Road,  North End, Croydon, and Powis Street, Woolwich.

All three defendants were charged with a raid on the EE Store, in Bromley High Street.

Detectives searched numerous premises across south London and obtained CCTV footage and phone evidence which directly linked Adolfess to the other six incidents.

Analysis of his phone linked Ventham to all of the offences and Buttery to the last incident.

On September 11, Ventham was arrested outside his home address where he attempted to flee but was caught and detained. A search of his home uncovered a large quantity of drugs for which he was further arrested.

On September 13, Buttery was arrested by Operation Venice officers outside his home addresses.

Chief Inspector Jim Corbett from Operation Venice, said:”These criminals callously burgled a number of mobile phone shops for their own financial gain. Not only did they cause damage to premises, but disrupted trade and caused financial loss to retailers.

“Trying to help their fellow criminal, Adolfess, escape police custody shows the attempts these individuals would go to, to remain at large and continue committing crime.

“Not only is it due to the work of the officers responding to the call, but also the tenacity of the Venice Investigation Team who linked the three to their other crimes across London and gained evidence against them that has achieved this sentence today.”