officers smashed into four properties linked to members of a notorious Shepherd's Bush gang, which is believed to be responsible for a string of robberies and firearms offences.

Dawn raids on Friday morning saw police arrest four people on suspicion of the murder on the West Kensington Estate of Polish chef Krzysztof Rusek.

And, in a double whammy, officers smashed into four properties linked to members of a notorious Shepherd's Bush gang, which is believed to be responsible for a string of robberies and firearms offences.

The double raids formed part of Operation Tain, which is targeting violent robbers. Mr Rusek, murdered in cold blood in a garden area of the estate by Lillie Road on Tuesday, was robbed by up to five suspects, some masked, before his killing. A friend and colleague from the Ibis Hotel in Lillie Road escaped injury after his wallet took the force of a knife to his thigh. The suspects escaped with just £12.


Police had been concerned in the lead up to the murder with an increase in knife-point robberies in the area, including in nearby Star Road and Hammersmith Road the weekend before.

During their early morning swoop they raided four properties on or near the estate and arrested four boys, three aged 17 and one 16, on suspicion of murder.


In separate raids they targeted a gang, which the Chronicle is not naming to stop them getting publicity, that has been terrorising people in Shepherd's Bush specifically near Westfield shopping centre and around Goldhawk Road.

They are notoriously violent and use Youtube to post inflammatory, home-made music videos about their crimes, while its leader was jailed last year.

They are thought to have access to firearms and police are linking them to a number of incidents in Shepherd's Bush last year where shots were fired.

In a simultaneous operation, officers raided properties in Weltje Road, Hammersmith, Avonmore Road, West Kensington, Edith Villas, West Kensington, and a home in Shepherd's Bush Green. No weapons were found and no arrests were made.


The raids came at the end of a week of action by the New Crime Squad, formed last week to prioritise the capture of violent criminals and robbers.

So far it has made 19 arrests, including eight for robbery, three for burglary and seven for theft from vehicles. In total five people have been charged.

Detective Inspector Kevin Foley said: " Hammersmith & Fulham police will never be complacent in the fight against violent crimes. The new squad of 24 officers is testament to the borough's commitment to targeting offenders and continuing our success in reducing crime.

"We will be proactive and vigilant in both preventing and detecting all crime. I want to reassure the people of Hammersmith and Fulham we will continue our pledge in keeping our borough a safer place for all."

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