Video: Leeds £900,000 jewellery heist - how heroes foiled gang of armed robbers

A judge praised the public spirited actions of the three have-a-go heroes who were captured on CCTV as they helped detain one of the criminals which led to to the downfall of the rest of the gang.

Estonian nationals Alar Kajurand, 44, Rainis Kilk, 26, and Tamair Uibopuu, 30, were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty of a robbery conspiracy in which high value watches worth almost £1m were stolen at gunpoint.

The conspiracy involved robberies at Berry’s jewellery store on Albion Street, Leeds, on March 24 and Watches of Switzerland on Oxford Street, London, on February 25 this year.

The actions of the three men, Dsoume Diallo, Issa Sila and James Pass, were praised by the judge as Kajurand, Uibopuu and Kilk were jailed at Leeds Crown Court. Kajurand and Kilk were both sentenced to 18 years and Uibopuu was given a 15-year term.

Mr Pass, from Leeds, who is seen in CCTV images wearing the baseball cap, said after the hearing: “I was with my girlfriend and we were walking through Leeds on our way to a meditation class.

“As she walked past the jewellers she knew something was wrong and said ‘that’s a robbery’.

“At first I thought she had noticed something wrong with the prices or something, but as I went over to take a closer look I saw a hand grabbing at all the watches.

“She pulled me to the side of the building and I told her to call the police.

“The next thing I knew there was someone coming out of the jewellers and I was aware of a man pointing and shouting and I just saw one of the robbers come towards me.

“He was getting away so I grabbed him and put him in a bearhug and pulled him down as the other man tried to grab his coat, but the robber was slipping out of his grasp.