iPad Found in Thames Unravels Murder Conspiracy

iPad Found in Thames Uncovers International Murder Plot

A mud-caked iPad unearthed from the River Thames in November 2024 has become the critical piece of evidence in solving a complex web of international crimes, culminating in a foiled murder attempt on one of the UK’s most notorious armed robbers.

The device, buried under layers of silt and surrounded by stones near the O2 Arena, had remained submerged for over five years. Initially thought to be irreparably damaged, the iPad still held a Vodafone pink SIM card. Once recovered and cleaned by forensic experts, it revealed incriminating call records that linked three men—Louis Ahearne, Stewart Ahearne, and Daniel Kelly—to a series of high-profile crimes.

From Museum Heist to Attempted Assassination

The trio had already been connected to a luxury museum theft in Switzerland, but what appeared to be isolated incidents—including the shooting of comedian Russell Kane’s tenant and a break-in at a stately home in Kent—turned out to be operations carried out by the same international crime ring. A six-year police investigation ultimately led to the trio’s conviction at the Old Bailey for conspiring to murder former armed robber Paul Allen.

Detective Superintendent Matthew Webb expressed lingering questions about their brazenness:
"Did they trip themselves up through sheer arrogance, thinking they'd never be caught?"

The Summer Night Shooting in Woodford

On the evening of July 11, 2019, six gunshots shattered the glass walls of a luxurious home in Woodford, East London. The property, leased by Paul Allen, was targeted in what prosecutors described as a "meticulously planned assassination attempt." One bullet severed Allen’s finger, another pierced his throat and spine, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.

Jade Bovington, Allen’s partner, frantically shouted for help:
"He’s been shot! He’s been shot!"

Neighbours and a private security guard responded swiftly, but the shooter had already escaped, vaulting over a garden wall into a waiting vehicle.

Allen, a key figure in the infamous 2006 Securitas depot robbery that netted £53 million, had only recently relocated to Woodford after surviving a previous assassination attempt in Woolwich.

Digital Footprints and Careless Mistakes

Investigators found six spent Glock cartridges at the scene. DNA from a fence matched both Louis Ahearne and Kelly. CCTV footage traced a grey Renault Captur, rented by Stewart Ahearne, to the vicinity just hours before the shooting. He had paid with his personal bank card.

Further CCTV from a Shell petrol station on Shooters Hill Road showed Louis Ahearne buying two bottles of 'Summer Fruits Oasis'—a seemingly minor purchase that became a major breakthrough.
"The beauty of petrol stations is they have excellent CCTV," noted prosecutor Michael Shaw KC.

Mobile records traced the movements and communications of the suspects. Kelly had purchased 59 burner phones via Amazon and eBay. These unregistered devices were wiped from networks just before the shooting.

The iPad That Broke the Case

Four months before the trial began, Louis Ahearne submitted a statement claiming that Kelly had exited their vehicle near John Harrison Way to dispose of key evidence in the Thames—revealing the existence of the iPad. The admission infuriated Kelly, who realized the statement had been made prior to the court proceedings.

"We knew the car stopped on John Harrison Way, and that Kelly exited," recalled Det Supt Webb. "We thought they might’ve dumped a weapon. We didn’t know about the iPad until that moment."

The device proved pivotal. Inside, call logs connected the three men directly to the conspiracy. Kelly’s iPhone 6 was also linked to limited numbers, including those of the Ahearne brothers.

A Network Spanning Continents

Further investigations revealed the men had attempted to sell stolen goods abroad, including a trip to Hong Kong. As they discarded evidence and crossed borders, their carelessness gave detectives a trail to follow.

Despite their silence in court, all three—Louis Ahearne, Stewart Ahearne, and Daniel Kelly—were found guilty of conspiracy to murder. They are scheduled for sentencing on April 25, 2025.

Det Supt Webb emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing:
"This is one of those cases where the more you uncover, the more there is to find."