A 19-year-old Nigerian, Fawaz Oyedeji, has been sentenced to four years in prison in the United Kingdom for attempting to steal a £72,500 Porsche Cayenne using an imitation firearm.
Oyedeji, who lives in Greenwich, London, posed as a prospective buyer after responding to an online advert for the luxury sports utility vehicle.
He arranged to meet the seller at the victim’s home in Southwark on Tuesday, 18 March, to inspect the car.
After the victim showed him around the Porsche, they sat in the front seats to discuss the sale. Oyedeji then produced what appeared to be a firearm, pointed it at the seller and demanded the car keys.
However, the victim resisted and fought back, forcing Oyedeji to abandon the attempted robbery and flee.
Police were subsequently alerted and launched an investigation into the incident.
Detectives traced the phone used to arrange the vehicle inspection to Oyedeji, establishing that it had been near both his home address and the scene of the attempted robbery.
Investigators also obtained CCTV footage showing his movements shortly before and after the incident. Officers recovered clothing matching what the suspect wore during the attempted robbery.
Oyedeji was arrested at his home on Leonard Robbins Path within 38 hours of the offence.
A jury at the Inner London Crown Court found him guilty after 26 minutes of deliberation on Wednesday, 4 November.
He was subsequently sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
Detective Constable Alex Long, who led the investigation, praised the victim for resisting the robbery and assisting investigators.
“The victim showed immense courage by refusing to hand over his keys despite being threatened with what appeared to be a genuine firearm,” Long said.
He added that CCTV footage, digital records and forensic evidence helped detectives build a strong case that secured Oyedeji’s conviction.
The detective also advised people buying or selling vehicles privately to take necessary precautions, urging them to leave if a transaction appeared suspicious and contact emergency services when necessary.