A man has been convicted after posing as an Amazon delivery driver before threatening his victim with a shotgun as he opened the front door of his London home.
Vicente Forde, 32, of Gavestone Road, Greenwich, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence during an appearance at Croydon Crown Court on June 7.
He previously pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.
On July 13, 2020, Forde went to knock on the door of a home in Crystal Palace Road, in the South-East area of London. He was dressed as a delivery driver, wearing a hi-vis jacket and holding an empty Amazon cardboard box.
When he heard the front door opening, he pulled out a shotgun and threatened the man who was at the door.
The victim, who had been at home with his young daughter and was on the phone to a friend at the time, grabbed hold of the shotgun and began wrestling with Forde outside his home.
London's Metropolitan Police released surveillance footage showing the struggle between the pair.
The victim described hearing Forde shouting at him to let go of the gun or he would be stabbed. The father managed his hold on the firearm before disarming the suspect and throwing the weapon under a nearby car.
Members of the public, including men who were on a nearby building site, came to the victim's aid after hearing him screaming for help. Forde was restrained by the public while they called police.
Officers arrived at the scene and seized the gun, which was loaded with two live cartridges. Forde was arrested, with the victim taken to hospital for treatment for bruising and a broken nose.
Detective Constable Imran Hansraj, of the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said in a statement: "The victim had no idea what was about to unfold when he saw what he thought was a delivery man bringing a parcel to his address.
"He had been home with his young daughter and was going about his business as usual when he was thrust into an incredibly frightening ordeal in which he fought for his life.
"His life was turned upside down in a split second by Forde's actions, which were wicked and cowardly in the extreme. He was disguised and armed with a lethal weapon but the victim displayed incredible bravery to disarm him. He was lucky that a number of members of the public took heed of his cries for help and came to his aid. They too deserve enormous recognition.
"I hope Forde will now spend a substantial amount of time in prison, and I am sure that London will be all the safer for it."
The circumstances around the incident continue to be investigated. Forde will be sentenced on July 29.
Met Police has been contacted for an update
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
