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Robber jailed for 17 years after victim recognised him on Facebook

An armed robber in Birmingham was caught following a two month violent crime spree when he was recognised by one of his victims on Facebook.

Omar Famuyide Credit: West Midlands Police

Omar Famuyide, 21, was one of two men who burst into the Ambassador’s Relaxation Suite on 13 July last year and assaulted women inside, threatening them with a metal bar and a handgun.

The pair then fled the Florence Street venue in the city centre empty handed while firing a shot inside building. Fortunately nobody was seriously hurt.

A month later he walked up to a man in Highgate, held a gun to his head and demanded the keys to his BMW. He then stole the car.

It was found two days later parked on a road in Edgbaston, along with a firearm which was examined and found to be the gun that fired a bullet at the relaxation suite a month earlier.

Also found were keys to a Seat Leon, which was stolen by a man with a knife in Highgate on the same night that the BMW taken.

After the victim of the Seat Leon robbery contacted officers in August to say he recognised the offender on Facebook, Famuyide was arrested.

Firearms that were recovered by the police. Credit: West Midlands Police

At his house, detectives found a distinctive fisherman’s style hat, identical to that worn by the offender during the disorder at the relaxation suite, a machete, a balaclava, a number of mobile phones and another combat knife.

At Birmingham Crown Court today he was jailed for 17 years after being convicted of one count of robbery (Southacre Avenue), one count of attempted robbery (Ambassadors Suite) two counts of possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a knife.

Old fashioned detective work got us most of the way and we were able to build enough evidence to link all of the different items and offences, but we still didn’t have a name.

It was a crucial part of the investigation when one of the victims got in touch after recognising Famuyide on Facebook and was the final piece of the jigsaw that we were looking for.

I want to commend all the victims who bravely came forward and gave evidence against someone who is clearly a dangerous, violent man.

– DC Rhiannon Daff, from Birmingham Police