Fugitive behind the Leeds robbery jailed after four year manhunt

A man who orchestrated a violent armed robbery in Leeds and then fled abroad to escape justice has finally been jailed after a relentless four-year international manhunt.

Wahseem Fazal, 40, from Sheffield, went on the run after being charged over the 2015-armed robbery at a specialist car repair business in Holbeck, Leeds, where rare Porsche Carrera GT parts worth £140,000 were stolen.

Despite his efforts to evade justice, Fazal was tracked across multiple countries before being extradited from Greece in October 2022. At Leeds Crown Court on Friday 21 March, he was sentenced to eight years and ten months in prison, finally closing an eight-year-long investigation.

The high-value sports car specialist had been repairing a Porsche Carrera GT, then worth between £600,000 and £800,000, when Fazal and another man, Owen Walcott, visited the workshop. They attempted to sell parts of the car they had acquired through a previous deal, but their offer was declined.

However, during their visit, they discovered where the remaining Porsche parts were stored, and just weeks later, they executed a violent, pre-planned robbery.

On Saturday, 26 September 2015, two men arrived at the business under the pretence of inquiring about a car repair. They left, only to return minutes later in a white van, which CCTV captured circling the area as they waited for the workshop to clear.

Once inside, they aimed a revolver at the business owner’s head and demanded “the red parts”.

Mark Davies and Kai Kennedy at the scene of the robbery in Water Lane, Holbeck, in 2015 Image: West Yorkshire Police

The attackers forced the victim onto a chair, aggressively binding his hands with cable ties to prevent any resistance. As he struggled, one of the men struck him across the head with the butt of a revolver, leaving him dazed and bleeding. Moments later, the other assailant swung a machete, slicing deep into his side and causing a severe laceration. His cries for help were muffled as they gagged him with duct tape, blindfolding him before securing him tightly to the chair, rendering him completely powerless while they carried out the robbery.  The robbers then loaded the Porsche parts into the van and fled.

After managing to free himself, the victim sought help from a neighbouring business, and emergency services were called. He later required stitches for his wounds and treatment for his head injuries.

Detectives launched Operation Axleford, which eventually led to the convictions of five other conspirators, jailed for a combined 55 years in 2019.

The van the robbers used had distinctive damage on the roof which helped detectives track it Image: West Yorkshire Police

The investigation uncovered critical evidence that helped detectives piece together the robbery. CCTV footage revealed the white transit van used in the crime, later discovered in Manchester bearing false plates. Further enquiries led officers to van hire records, which showed that Owen Walcott had deliberately rejected a sign-written vehicle in favour of an unmarked one, ensuring it would attract less attention.

As detectives dug deeper, phone records provided another breakthrough. Just days after the robbery, a number linked to Walcott had contacted a Porsche dealership in Manchester, enquiring about specific Carrera GT parts.

Six men were charged in 2018, but both Fazal and Walcott absconded before trial.

Walcott was located in Bulgaria in 2019 and extradited, but Fazal remained at large for several more years.

Detectives later confirmed he had left the UK via Eurostar in 2016 before moving between Bulgaria, Tunisia, Greece, and Tenerife.

Despite setbacks, including delays during the Covid-19 pandemic, Detective Sergeant Ailis Coates persisted in her efforts to bring Fazal to justice. In 2022, intelligence suggested he was in Athens, Greece. Working through Interpol and Greek authorities, DS Coates identified his address, leading to his arrest and extradition.

Fazal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was sentenced on Friday 21 March.

His co-conspirators were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court in 2019: Mark Davies, 36, jailed for 13 years; Kai Kennedy, 22, sentenced to 12 years and six months; Harry Mahoney, 28, given ten years and nine months; Owen Walcott, 42, sentenced to 13 years and a female accomplice (name withheld), sentenced to six years

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jackson, who oversaw the investigation, praised the team’s perseverance: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim, planned and carried out purely out of greed. Fazal believed he could escape justice by fleeing the UK, but our officers were relentless in tracking him down.”

He added: “This case serves as a clear message, no matter how long it takes, we will not stop pursuing criminals who think they can evade justice.”

With Fazal now behind bars, this long-running case has finally come to a close, reinforcing the determination of UK law enforcement to hold criminals accountable, no matter where they hide.

Credits by Asian Connect & Business Connect