Man avoids prison after stealing car from Heathrow Airport and driving it to Northampton

A man has avoided jail after stealing a car from his workplace at Heathrow Airport and driving it to Northampton while the vehicle’s owner was on holiday abroad.

Mohamed Jama, aged 24, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Friday, June 23 after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicle taking.

The court heard that Jama was an employee at a ‘meet and greet’ service at Heathrow Airport in London on June 12 last year when the owner of a Range Rover dropped off his car before jetting off on holiday in America for two weeks.

The vehicle was initially taken to an offsite car park in Slough before Jama stole the vehicle and drove it to Northampton, picking up his co-defendant, 22-year-old Adam Masood, along the way.

Police officers became suspicious when they witnessed the vehicle being driven up and down Bridge Street in Northampton town centre shortly after midnight that day and saw that the car was registered to someone from the Devon and Cornwall area.

At that point, Masood was in the driver’s seat and there were three passengers in total - including Jama. Masood was asked to turn off his engine by a police officer but he, instead, accelerated forward, crashing into a parked vehicle ahead of him.

A police officer attempted to stop the driver by opening the driver’s door but Masood made off with the officer’s fingers trapped in the handle and crashed into a second vehicle before speeding off towards Victoria Promenade.

Shocking police body cam footage - obtained by Chronicle & Echo - captured the entire interaction, followed by the two collisions.

The Range Rover was later found abandoned by Castilian Street and all of the vehicle’s occupants were arrested shortly after in nearby St Giles Street.

Masood, who also worked at the meet and greet company at Heathrow Airport, was sentenced to a 12 month community order for dangerous driving earlier this month.

Quiana Fitzpatrick, prosecuting, said that a total of £3,695 of damage was caused to the Range Rover and, although this was covered by insurance, the owner had to pay an excess of £350.

Jama initially gave a no comment interview to police but, when questioned again, he confirmed that he collected the car on June 2 and then took it over a week later.

The defendant, representing himself, said he understands the offence he has committed and just wants to “move forward” with his life. He added that he has just returned to work after suffering an ankle injury and asked the judge to give him community service.

Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane handed Jama a 12 month community order - during which, he must complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 80 hours of unpaid work.

Jama must also pay £500 in compensation to the vehicle’s owner and he was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He must also pass an extended retest before getting behind the wheel again.