City jeweller's terror: Robbers get away with £1m gems

John Haynes, 64, said one man threatened to "cut him" with a hunting knife before ordering him to empty racks of jewellery into a holdall.

Two men raided the family-run business in an alleyway near Cornhill on Wednesday after posing as workmen in the street outside.

City of London Police today released images of three items of jewellery taken, including a platinum ring with a single Tanzanite stone and two diamonds worth £17,000, a diamond necklace worth £18,500 and a diamond-set white gold bracelet worth £17,950.

Detectives believe the robbers, who made no attempt to disguise their identity, had lain in wait for staff at Haynes Jewellers to open the shop.

Mr Haynes, whose father founded the store in 1959, arrived at 7.20am and was immediately targeted. One of the men pushed him into the shop and hurled him to the ground, threatening him with what appeared to be an aerosol can which he feared contained Mace.

Mr Haynes said: "He had his knee on my chest so I could not get up and he held me there while his colleague came in after him. He then produced what appeared to be a hunting knife and threatened to cut me with it."

While the second man acted as a look-out at the door of the shop, the first robber grabbed Mr Haynes by the back of the head and forced him downstairs to the safe. Mr Haynes said : "He told me: We want the big stuff.' "

Then they heard a rattle at the door upstairs which appeared to be a warning signal. "This guy stampeded up the stairs and I waited for two or three minutes but there was complete silence and then I hit the panic button. It was a terrifying experience."

Mr Haynes said he was frightened his colleague who was due to arrive at the shop would also be attacked.

The jeweller's is in Castle Court, St. Michael's Alley, where newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson was found collapsed after being pushed over by police during the G20 protests last year.

The robbers are believed to have got into a black taxi after the raid. One of their accents was described as southern Irish. Today detectives appealed to anyone who is offered jewellery at knock-down prices to contact them.

Many of the gems were contained in black display boxes with the shop's name on which may have been discarded after the robbery. Both men are described as white, wearing dark clothing, with one in a fluorescent jacket. Detectives are looking at CCTV from the area in an effort to identify them.

Detective Inspector Edelle Michaels said: "This was a terrifying experience for the shop owner. As Valentine's Day approaches, it's worth remembering that jewellery stolen at knifepoint is not a romantic gift."

Anyone with information should call police on 020 7601 2222 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 1111.