- Gang used taxis to get to and from the east and north London arcades
- They threatened staff with knives and a sharpened screwdriver to get cash
- During one raid, an arcade employee had to deflect knife blows with hands
- All three are now jailed for eight years and four months each for robberies
- Police say gang were 'brutal and violent in their pursuit of money'
CCTV footage shows the terrifying moment a teenage gang storm a gambling arcade and threaten staff with knives and a sharpened screwdriver.
Ashley Samuel, 18, and Yahya Ahmed and Mohamed Sayid, both 19, used a taxi company to drop them off near their targets - and paid the unknowing getaway drivers to wait.
The gang stole a total of £27,700 during nine robberies between April and July last year, hitting one City Slots Amusements in Ilford, north London store three times.
The trio pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 5 December and were jailed yesterday for eight years and four months each.
CCTV footage of one of nine arcade robberies carried out by a gang who threatened workers with knives
The teenage raiders slam an employee into a machine in Quicksilver in Bethnal Green, east London last June
The worker is confronted by a knife-wielding masked raider as the gang demand money from the arcade
A court heard the gang, of Ilford, north London, threatened arcade staff with kitchen knives and a sharpened screwdriver in front of horrified customers.
Some victims were tied up with duct tape to stop them escaping or getting help, while another was forced at knifepoint to open the company's safe.
In one raid, Sayid repeatedly tried to stab a 28-year-old employee in the chest with the sharpened screwdriver, despite the victim complying with the group's every demand.
The victim managed to block the attack with his hands during the robbery, which took place at Cashino in East Ham, on 30 May 2014.
In his victim impact statement, the man said: 'During this robbery I feared for my life like I have never feared before. All I could see in front of my face was my baby boy's face.
'He is only four months old and I am here to protect him and look after him throughout his life. I feared my life was about to end with me being stabbed to death during this robbery.
He added: 'The three suspects that committed this robbery got the key for the safe but continued attacking me and tried to stab me. They did not care about my life.
'This robbery has left me feeling a very nervous man and I am not sure if I will ever get over it.'
CCTV pictures from another of the arcades raided, this time in Ilford, north London, show a hooded gang member wielding a knife as he robs an employee
The court heard many of the employees threatened were left traumatised and depressed after their ordeals
City Slots Amusements on High Road, Ilford, was raided on April 7 last year, then again on May 8 and for a third time on July 16.
After the robberies, the group returned to the taxi to make their getaway, with cash stashed in holdalls.
Their crime spree ended when they were arrested on July 17 by Flying Squad detectives on the way back from a robbery.
DC Brad Weston, of the Flying Squad, said: 'These men were brutal and violent in their pursuit of money. One of the victims narrowly escaped being stabbed.
'Fortunately, none of the victims were seriously injured, although they have all suffered the mental and emotional after-effects of their horrendous experience.
'Many of the victims are suffering from flashbacks or depression and finding it very hard to return to any kind of normal life.'
A CCTV image of a worker being tied up by one of the gang. Mohamed Sayid (right) repeatedly tried to stab an arcade worker during one of his gang's series of robberies
Ashley Samuel (left) and Yahya Ahmed (right) also took part in the raids. All three have now been jailed
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