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May 5, 2017

Deaf agency photographer scoops Standard front page with hammer gang pics outside the BBC

By Dominic Ponsford

The Evening Standard cleared its front page today to carry dramatic images of hammer-wielding moped gang speeding through the West End of London.

Photographer with agency Mega Ian Lawrence, 43, who captured the image said: “I saw two scooters speeding towards me and weaving all over the road. One of the guys on the back was wielding a hammer.

“They all had their faces covered up, even though they had helmets on, and I knew something was going down. I put the long lens on one of my cameras and fired off pictures as they rode around the road before disappearing.  I even ran after them in a bid to get more pictures.”

He added: “I am deaf, which makes my job very hard compared to other photographers, and I have to push myself to the limit all the time. Four years ago I nearly lost my life and had major open heart surgery which took me 16 months before I could return back to work and pick up a camera again.”

The thieves were photographed at about 2pm on Thursday as they targeted pedestrians in Langham Street, yards from the entrance to the BBC Radio 1 studio.

Scotland Yard said officers were investigating one report of a theft of an iPhone from a woman in her forties on Great Portland Street just before 2pm.

 

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