AN armed robber from Walthamstow has been jailed for 21 years for his part in a string of bank raids.

In total, five men and two women were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court today after they were convicted of a linked string of offences dating back to 2006.

On April 24, 2007 Edward Levy, 42, of Walthamstow High Street, and Mark Vernege, 41, of Walter Close, East Ham, entered the HSBC bank in Loughton High Road, and threatened the cashiers with firearms.

They escaped with £200,000 with the police later establishing a link between Mark Vernege and Shilpa Patel, 31, of Tudor Crescent, Hainault, who worked at the bank as a cashier and supplied the robbers with the key code to the back door.

The criminal pair has previously escaped with £25,000 in cash after threatening a delivery driver with a firearm at the National Westminster Bank in Elm Parade, Elm Park, Romford.

Vernege and Levy had also made off with £25,000 after threatening a cash delivery man and bank staff at the Lloyds TSB branch at Hilldene, Harold Hill, with firearms.

On February 2, 2007, Levy and Vernege used guns to threaten a security guard making a cash delivery to the National Westminster Bank in George Lane, South Woodford, forcing him to hand over £27,000.

Their last crime took place on November 22, 2007, when Vernege entered the Debenhams store in Romford town centre, alone and met with Trusha Patel, 39, of Albert Road, Ilford, who worked there as a security guard.

Vernege threatened female staff with a loaded semi-automatic handgun and silencer and tied up the staff. With Patel's assistance, he then left the venue with two bags containing £48,000.

Outside the store he was surrounded by armed police officers and surrendered.

Vernege was convicted of conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to use firearms, robbery offences and having a firearm with the intent to commit robbery and sentenced to 14 years’.

Levy was convicted of robbery, having a firearm with intent to commit robbery, possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate and sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment.

Shilpa Patel was convicted of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to commit robbery with firearm and sentenced to 10 years’.

Trusha Patel (no relation) was convicted of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to use a firearm with intent to rob and sentenced to 10 years’.

Nittin Patel, 39, of Northbrook Road, Ilford, the cousin of Trusha Patel who introduced her to Vernege, was convicted of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to use a firearm with intent to rob and sentenced to 10 years’.

Nicholas Drakou, 42, of Burrough Green, Cambridgeshire, who conspired with Vernege to rob the Debenhams store was convicted of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to use a firearm with intent to rob and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

Abdulhamed Eldow, 49, of Walthamstow High Street, who looked after a firearm for Levy, was convicted of possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate and sentenced to three years’.

Senior investigating officer DI Ian Corner told the Guardian: “These were dangerous men and it’s important they are now off the streets.”