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Raiders take woman hostage and grab millions from Mayfair jewellers
Justin Davenport, Crime Editor7 Aug 2009
Two smartly-dressed men took a woman hostage and fired warning shots as they escaped with millions of pounds worth of gems in a daylight raid on a Mayfair jewellers.
The men arrived by black cab at Graff Diamonds in New Bond Street, coolly paying the fare
before walking in and threatening staff with a handgun.
They grabbed dozens of valuable rings and necklaces. The haul from what detectives describe as a carefully planned operation is expected to run into several million.
The pair — who were dressed in suits and spoke in London accents — both briefly seized a woman employee and fired a shot into the ground as they left at about 5pm.
Staff were said to have been “manhandled” and the hostage was left unharmed in the street as the robbers got into a waiting BMW, but they abandoned the car in Dover Street after crashing
into a black cab, and continued on foot. As the cabbie and drinkers from the nearby King's Head pub gave chase, one of the men fired another round into the ground to warn them off.
The men then drove off in a silver Mercedes, and witnesses reported seeing a man clutching a package speeding away on a motorbike. Police are still searching for the car.
Recruitment consultant Rob Cottrell, 30, said: “I saw a black guy dressed in a suit being
chased by a cabbie he had crashed into. He fired off a round from a handgun.
He was clutching a package.”
The cab driver who was rammed said: “I jumped out to see the damage and the car kept coming up the pavement, so I skipped over the side to get out of the way. I was shouting, What are you doing?' I carried on to the end of the road and
heard the shot.”
A press officer for Graff was in tears at the scene, and a security guard said: “No one was hurt and that's the main thing.”
The taxi driver who dropped the men off came forward today and was being interviewed by police. Detectives said one suspect is white, aged about 30, with dark hair, and the other is
in his 30s, 6ft tall, and well built, with very short Afro hair. Both wore grey suits.
In May 2003 thieves took £23 million of gems from the shop which says it sells “the most fabulous jewels in the world”.
Police appealed for witnesses to contact Barnes Flying Squad on 020 8247 4804.
Reader views (13)
This case proves that Police have got to carry arms.To send them unarmed is silly also the fine we pay the EEC every year for not having armed Police would help to pay these costs.
- Stan White, leeds, 09/08/2009 08:19
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Well, this article isn't entirely true... The "one" person who gave chase was drinking in the Goat Tavern not the Kings head. Also to point out a fact, one warning shot was fired when the guy got out of the 3 series BM and then once he turned right onto Dover street he shot at the brave heroic guy who gave chase (not that he had a clue he was chasing jewel theives)...
- Eye Witness, London, 08/08/2009 23:41
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Please bear in mind that these jewels are like finger prints. The majority of the stones are GIA certified and therefore virtally impossible to re-sell. They would have a far less value if cut.
So why did they do it??
- Gooner In Spain, Pego, Spain, 08/08/2009 13:33
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Well, what can be said about this sort of thing? It's good work if you can get it? And, probably, if you keep it up long enough you get good Government pension benefits and free accomodation as well. But let's face it, was it wise to use a BMW? Personally I'd prefer a Jaguar; you know, the car that keeps on evolving. And, of course, a proper driver. Who now in the underworld can't afford a proper driver on a Bond Street robbery? I don't know, it all sounds a bit amateurish if you ask me. These sort of fellows are probably already on the police computer for petty theft: you just can't get the quality of the likes of Ronnnie Biggs anymore, not for this sort of comic kaper anyway. it all sounds a bit like "Keystone Cops" to me - good planning my foot! Still, looks like they got the money without too muc trouble - which is always important isn't it?
- Drew Byrne, West London., 08/08/2009 00:57
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"Diplomat" from Battersea - clearly a misnomer if there was one - that wasn't a very clever comment now was it - put yourself in that situation - would you do any better? You'd probably hide - like you're doing now behind your nom de plume> So what if a PR girl gets upset at the time and declines to comment straight away? Dealing with that sort of crisis is not in the job description.
- Tim, London, 07/08/2009 18:17
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I work with the team in the Graff Press Office on a regular basis and they are the most professional team, this comment by "Diplomat" must surely be some kind of silly mistake?
- Francesca, London, 07/08/2009 17:42
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When they catch them, give em 30 years...
- Adrian, london, 07/08/2009 16:14
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At least the pr girl (am sure was a girl as they love diamonds) cares about the product she is pr'ing.
Most girls would cry if there diamonds had been taken - partic if they were graff diamonds!
well done PR girl - diamonds really are a girls best friend
- Nico, Mayfair, 07/08/2009 15:22
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Graff diamonds are way overpriced the theives will only get a small fraction of the value what they stole. I hate theives.
- David, NYC, 07/08/2009 14:06
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What's the betting if,and when caught,they won't get anything like 30 year's.
- Colin, Bristol, 07/08/2009 13:33
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So, if there is CCTV everywhere, designed to catch the middle classes doing 35 in a 30 zone, or catching someone accidentally parking in a congestion charging zone (and recoding the whole thing in colour, as happened to me once, to my horror), why is it the police cannot use this CCTV to track and catch criminals on the run in easy to spot BMWs? I tell you why, because there is no money in it. A thief is not going to part with a £60 on the spot fine.
Welcome to the UK today, where crime pays.
- Oflife, Oxford & London, 07/08/2009 13:33
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We have a major problem that keeps getting worse.
- David, london, 07/08/2009 13:24
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"A press officer for Graff was in tears at the scene and declined to comment, while a security guard for the store said: “No one was hurt and that's the main thing.”"
Surely the press officer should be sacked and the security bloke promoted to the role.
- Diplomat, Battersea, 07/08/2009 10:55
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