Brothers who wore latex face masks to disguise themselves as elderly men when they robbed a jewellers have been jailed for a combined total of 31 years.
Benjamin Murphy, 37, and 28-year-old George Murphy-Bristow robbed the store in Essex while armed with a knife and a hatchet axe.
The pair ushered a worker to an office and tied him to a chair with cable ties before removing a £15,000 Rolex watch from his wrist.
The robbers later fled the scene in a getaway car parked outside.
Several weeks later, officers on patrol around 36 miles away stopped a suspicious vehicle.
They found two full-face masks and clothing identical in appearance to that worn by the suspects in the robbery in the boot of the car, as well as a black duffel bag containing a hatchet, knife and cable ties.
The driver of the car, George Murphy-Bristow, was arrested at the scene and forensic tests of saliva from inside the masks identified DNA belonging to Murphy-Bristow and his older brother Benjamin Murphy
The pair were arrested at separate locations on June 21 last year and refused to answer any questions during their respective interviews.
Both men were charged with robbery and possession of a bladed article and were remanded in custody.
The brothers, from north London, denied their part in the robbery when they appeared at Southend-on-Sea Magistrates' Court on June 22, 2021.
A jury took just over an hour to find the men guilty following a three-day trial at Basildon Crown Court.
Murphy was convicted of robbery and two counts of possession of a bladed article, and received an 18 year custodial sentence.
While Murphy-Bristow was convicted of robbery, two counts of possession of a bladed article, and going equipped for theft. He received a 13 year sentence.
The Rolex watch stolen from the staff member was never recovered.
Detective Inspector Yoni Adler, of Essex Police, said: "Benjamin Murphy and his brother George Murphy-Bristow planned this robbery, to use masks to help them avoid detection.
"But it was the forensic examination amongst other detailed detective work and proactive policing that proved the pair were directly linked to the robbery.
"I want to thank the store's staff for supporting our investigation following an undoubtedly frightening incident, but I hope that they can now move on."
