‘Rubber Face’ robber jailed for south London bookies crime spree

Andrae Moncrieffe
MPS
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An armed robber who donned a “horror film” rubber mask as he terrified bookmaker staff in a series of gunpoint heists has been jailed for ten years.

Andrae Moncrieffe, 37, used the prosthetic face, sunglasses, a walking stick and a top hat to disguise himself as he held up bookies in Herne Hill and Peckham.

Staff were threatened with an imitation gun by Moncrieffe, who issued death threats, grabbed one worker in a headlock, and forced staff to hand over wads of cash.

He struck three times in the space of just 12 days, in December 2019, and was captured by Flying Squad detectives the following April.

Moncrieffe, from Peckham, had stashed some of his props, including a walking stick and a top hat, in the boot of his car alongside the homemade imitation firearm. But the rubber mask has never been found.

Andrae Moncrieffe
MPS

Moncrieffe was found guilty at trial of three robberies and three counts of possession of an imitation firearm, and was jailed for ten years at Inner London crown court on Friday.

Detective Chief Inspector Ann Marie Waller, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “These robberies were absolutely terrifying ordeals for the staff members and customers involved. They were all in fear for their lives as they truly believed that Moncrieffe was armed.

“Moncrieffe went to great lengths to try and conceal his identity, including wearing a prosthetic rubber face mask that looked like something out of a horror film. However, detailed witness accounts and painstaking detective work by the Flying Squad ensured overwhelming evidence was put forward at his trial and the jury found him guilty.

"I am glad that the sentence handed down reflects the danger that Moncrieffe poses to the public.”

Andrae Moncrieffe
MPS

Moncrieffe first struck on December 15, 2019, when he walked into a bookies in Rye Lane, Peckham while brandishing a metal item wrapped in a grey pillow case.

Wearing the rubber mask, a blue beanie, and sunglasses he attempted to corner a female staff member, but she screamed and fled with customers leaving Moncrieffe to also run out of the shop with just a punter’s dropped purse.

Later the same day, Moncrieffe entered another bookies on Denmark Hill, grabbing one of the members of staff in a headlock.

Police said he “pointed the imitation firearm, which the victims believed to be real, to the employee’s head and shouted ‘Oi come here’”, to a member of staff sheltering in a safe haven.

“The staff member pushed open the door to the area behind the counter and saw Moncrieffe with a gun to his colleague’s head”, the Met said. Moncrieffe was handed money from the tills and then fled.

Andrae Moncrieffe’s imitation gun
MPS

On December 27, 2019, he was spotted by female worker at a bookmakers in Kirkwood Road, Peckham, who was aware of a spate of recent robberies by a man in a rubber mask.

Seeing the disguise including a top hat and walking stick, she shouted to her colleague “it’s him” as they tried to take cover.

Moncrieffe pulled out his fake gun and demanded money, shouting “I’ll kill you if you don’t give me the money”, police said.

His fingerprint was later found on the side of the imitation firearm recovered from the back of his car.

Moncrieffe denied the charges at trial but was convicted by a jury.

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