Modern criminals exposed as iPad from River Thames unlocks plot to kill armed robber
An iPad buried in the River Thames for more than five years has helped uncover a network of modern criminals operating across London and mainland Europe. What seemed like a discarded device turned out to be central to a violent conspiracy involving stolen Ming Dynasty antiques, a shooting in Woodford, and an attempted assassination linked to one of Britain’s most notorious armed robbers. The discovery of the iPad, found under an inch of mud on the Thames foreshore, was the break that exposed the plot and connected the dots between theft, surveillance, and attempted murder.
From a London perspective, the story cuts through several familiar touchpoints: a quiet residential street in Woodford, a rented house once owned by comedian Russell Kane, a luxury flat in Sevenoaks, and a late-night stop near the O2 Arena. On 11th July 2019, gunshots rang out in east London, tearing through the conservatory glass of the Woodford property. Paul Allen, a former ringleader in the UK’s largest cash robbery, was hit twice, once in the throat and once in the hand. His partner’s screams drew neighbours and a private security guard who gave life-saving first aid. Today, Allen remains in a wheelchair, paralysed from the chest down.
It was later revealed that this attack had been carefully planned by brothers Louis and Stewart Ahearne and their associate Daniel Kelly. The trio had previously gained police attention after a daring raid at the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva, where they stole Ming Dynasty antiques worth an estimated £2.8 million. Evidence from that theft included surveillance footage, DNA, and a botched getaway, but none of it was enough to fully tie them to the attempted murder in Woodford.
That is, until a forensic officer swept the Thames foreshore near John Harrison Way last November and unearthed the mud-covered iPad. Forensic teams dried it out, found a SIM card still lodged inside, and recovered data linking it directly to the assassination plot. According to officers, the iPad had been underwater for more than five years. Its discovery came only after Louis, in a defence statement, mentioned stopping near the river on the night of the attack – a detail that proved decisive.
As the investigation widened, detectives traced the group’s movements using GPS data, burner phones bought online, and even petrol station CCTV. Stewart had rented a Renault Captur from a Dartford branch just days before the shooting. On 9th July, the same car had been seen outside a luxury flat in Sevenoaks, where the men posed as police officers and carried out a robbery using a flashing blue light on the roof. Less than 48 hours later, they were back in London, trailing the Allens’ Mercedes before executing their attack.
In court, prosecutors described the attempt on Allen’s life as “meticulously researched and planned” and “executed by men at the top end of organised crime.” But the iPad, according to Det Ch Insp Matthew Webb, was the piece that made everything fit together. Call records from the device connected all three men. Linked accounts revealed dozens of purchases, including burner phones, on Amazon and eBay. A GPS tracking device also linked them to surveillance of Allen’s movements.
One month before the shooting, the Ahearnes and Kelly were caught on camera outside the Geneva museum, using crowbars and sledgehammers to break in. Stewart left DNA at the scene and had hired the getaway car, while Louis filmed the site in advance. After the raid, they flew to Hong Kong to try and sell the stolen items, one of which was hidden in a JD Sports bag when undercover police posed as buyers in Mayfair. Their involvement in international art theft, combined with the Woodford shooting and a break-in in Sevenoaks, painted a picture of a group operating across borders with alarming ease.
During the seven-week trial at the Old Bailey, Louis Ahearne attempted to shift blame towards Kelly, while the other two remained silent throughout. But it was clear to the jury that the three operated as a team. On Monday, they were found guilty of conspiracy to murder. Sentencing will take place on 25th April.
For those familiar with life in London, this case illustrates how modern criminals can operate in plain sight, through ordinary locations like petrol stations and residential streets. It also highlights how digital traces, even from long-forgotten devices, can resurface and play a pivotal role in complex investigations. As DCI Webb noted, “You keep scratching, you keep finding.” In this case, what police recovered from the Thames became the turning point.
For more updates on London crime and investigative breakthroughs, visit EyeOnLondon. We’d love to hear your views in the comments.
[Image Credit: Met Police]
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