Hammersmith man jailed for series of violent robberies on London Underground

Jailed for an 11 day spree of violence on the Underground

Adel Kerari

A man has been jailed for a series of violent robberies on the London Underground.

Adel Kerari, 27, of Lisgar Terrace in Hammersmith, committed six violent robberies across a period of 11 days in June 2023 with several other young men.

He was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on 9 January 2026 to two years and eight months in prison, having previously pleaded guilty to six counts of Robbery and one of Fraud by False Representation.

The group targeted people at Underground stations including Holborn, Chancery Lane, Leicester Square, Russell Square, Notting Hill, Shepherd’s Bush, Piccadilly Circus, and Leyton, going from station to station targeting lone travellers, threatening them and robbing them or attempting to rob them.

The first incident in the group’s violent spree was on 1 June, when a woman was cornered by the group on a train to Holborn. When she managed to leave the train, she was followed toward the escalator and through the station before being pushed from behind, punched in the face, and robbed of her mobile phone and headphones. The group then fled the station.

On a separate night the group targeted two people within ten minutes, robbing someone of their phone and wallet at Leicester Square before travelling on the train to Russell Square and robbing a second person of their phone.

On 11 June, a man was robbed at Leyton Underground station having been pushed to the ground and attacked. The group made off with the man’s phone and wallet and later used the man’s bank card at an off licence.

When Kerari was identified by British Transport Police officers in 2023 he was abroad, and they had to wait until last year to arrest him. They caught up with him at the address where he was staying in west London and arrested him on 4 September 2025.

For their part in the robberies, Kerari’s co-conspirators were sentenced in 2023 and 2024 to a combined total of over 10 years’ imprisonment.

“Fortunately, incidents like this are rare”

Detective Sergeant Tony Gittins, investigating officer in the case, said:

“Criminals like Kerari should know that we’ll make sure they face justice for the crimes they inflict on members of the public. Tackling robbery on the London Underground is a top priority for us, and we’re working around the clock to catch offenders and ensure they have their day in court.

“Kerari and the rest of the cowardly group worked together to intimidate and target passengers across London for their own benefit. The rail network is covered by extensive CCTV, which we successfully used to prove that they were behind this 11-day crime spree.

“Our uniformed and plain-clothes teams patrol the rail network every day to deter robbery and keep passengers safe. Fortunately, incidents like this are rare, but We take every report of robbery extremely seriously and will continue to come down hard on those who use the railway network for criminal gain.

“If a robbery has just happened, always dial 999 or speak to an officer or a member of staff – our officers can then quickly deploy to your location and begin immediate enquiries to trace the culprits.”

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