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CCTV at jewellers captures raiders breaking window with a sledgehammer
Justin Davenport, Crime Editor10 Mar 2010
Police today released images of the smash and grab raid at Mappin & Webb jewellers taken by CCTV cameras inside the West End store.
Detectives appealed for help in identifying the five robbers saying someone could recognise their clothing or the three high-powered motorbikes they were riding.
The images show a sledgehammer being held across a motorbike before a pillion passenger leaps off and begins hitting a window of the Old Bond Street store. The raiders are then seen smashing through the toughened security glass shortly after 11.15am yesterday.
One witness said the vibrations from the blows felt like an earthquake.
Shoppers watched in astonishment as the gang spent several minutes smashing through the glass before fleeing with about £100,000 worth of Rolex watches.
Detective Inspector Sean Oxley, of the Westminster Crime Squad, said today: "These images show just how frightening this must have been for the people inside the shop. The offence was committed in broad daylight and in the heart of the West End. I want to hear from anyone who may have seen these people earlier in the day who may be able to recognise them from the clothes they were wearing or may have seen these bikes."
Scotland Yard also responded to claims that officers did not turn up at the store for 25 minutes after the alarm was raised. A spokeswoman said police received a call from a member of the public about a robbery at the store at 11.17am. A minute later a PCSO spotted the bikes speeding down Pall Mall and gave chase on foot.
At 11.20am details of the bikes were despatched over the radio and at 11.21 officers in a response car took up the chase in Duke Street near Oxford Street. A police helicopter also helped in the pursuit before the response car lost sight of the bikes after about half a mile.
Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Reader views (6)
That helmet...isn't that the Stig?
- Ethan, EUSSR - still waiting for Labour Liars Manifesto promised EU referendum, 11/03/2010 08:58
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So, our 30,000 strong Police Force had no-one patrolling the vicinity of the busiest shopping street in the country, allowing half-witted teenage yobs on scooters to spend as long as they wanted to clear out the window-display of a jewellers? Wonderful !
- Matt, Islington, 10/03/2010 21:07
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this must be a joke:
CCTV images of crime being committed
PCSO- giving chase on foot?
1 Helicopter?
1 Police car giving chase?
Still no robbers!
tell me whats missing here?
- London A Funny Place To Live !, London, England, 10/03/2010 14:54
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first picture shows 11:16:40,second shows 11:16:49 clearly with a holes already in,
NINE seconds to smash the glass that supposed to protect jewellery worth thousands of pounds, joke
- Jake, haringey, 10/03/2010 14:07
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Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Should actually read:-
Anyone with information who would like to put their own personal safety at risk, by identifying the robbers, should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
As that's what will happen if you give evidence against them.
- P Staker, London, 10/03/2010 13:37
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pcso gave chase on foot before that he was probably stopping photographers.
photography is not a crime.
- Tog, uk, 10/03/2010 13:18
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