Motorbike raiders strike again

The gang on motorcycles used sledgehammers to break windows at the Ralph Lauren store in Bond Street and Press in Primrose Hill.

Up to £3,000 of handbags were taken from Press including the Super K design by Marc Jacobs selling for £399 and a Chloé bag worth £900.

The store's owner, Melanie Press, said she was told the gang smashed their way through the reinforced glass windows with a sledgehammer and stole the bags on display.

Ms Press said she believed the raiders knew the shop had new orders of clothes and accessories for Christmas. She added: "It really was a waste of time for everyone who is affected. It takes them minutes to steal it, but takes us days to fix everything. Everyone is shaken by what has happened."

Ms Press's sister is the actress Nathalie Press, who won an Evening Standard British Film Award Most Promising Newcomer for My Summer Of Love in 2005.

The gang could not get into the main part of the store because of security shields behind the display windows which were installed after a previous break-in. Witnesses saw the gang smash the windows, take the items and then speed off in a matter of minutes at about 2am yesterday. Some residents told Ms Press there may have been a car waiting nearby to take the bags.

At Ralph Lauren it is believed two suspects on a moped broke in shortly after 1am on Monday. The store would not comment.

Today Scotland Yard confirmed the two break-ins but would not comment on whether they were linked. They are the latest in a string of raids to hit the capital's fashion districts.

The motorcycle thieves have struck at least 35 times in the past six months and retailers are now mounting-their own security patrols. Police believe at least two gangs are at work, targeting the latest designer goods - staking out shops during the day and striking in the early hours. Some items are believed to be used to make copies for the black market.

Scotland Yard has set up a detective squad to target the raiders but has ruled out motorcycle chases in pursuit of the gangs because of the danger to the public.

Last month handbags and clothes worth tens of thousands of pounds were taken from the Sonia Rykiel store in Mayfair.

The gangs have also raided Gucci - which now employs a night watchman to guard its shop front in Sloane Street.