Family jewellers targeted in a daylight raid by sledgehammer-wielding robbers have vowed to reopen and thanked the public for the ‘overwhelming’ support they’ve received, as police confirm a suspected getaway car has been found.
The brazen daytime heist took place in Richmond, west London, where two men were swinging a large hammer against the glass of the family-owned jewellers.
The men then peeled away the glass and filled a blue bag with all the valuables on display.
Staff members inside the shop were then seen desperately trying to claw back what they could before the thieves could snatch it.
Bravely, the staff then began hitting the robbers with what appears to be a small box to try to deter them from taking more goods.
The thugs then fled the scene as the shocked bystanders watched on.
The police were called at 10.34 am on January 31, after suspects smashed the front window of Gregory & Co in Paved Court and stole several items.
The store staff have since struck an optimistic chord, as they have thanked the public for their support and look forward to reopening.
A spokesperson for Gregory & Co said: ‘We’re a local, independent, family jewellers and have been in Richmond for more than 45 years.
‘The public response to this incident has been overwhelming and we are grateful for the support and kindness we’ve received.
‘We are reassured that overall, good outweighs the bad as we look forward to reopening and getting back to normal soon.’
Although enquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made, a vehicle believed to have been used in the robbery has been recovered and is being examined as part of the investigation.
Superintendent Craig Knight, who leads the Met’s neighbourhood policing in Richmond, said: ‘Officers are working at pace to identify and locate the men who carried out this robbery.
‘We realise incidents of this nature can have a real impact on the local community, especially businesses and those who live in the area.
‘Please be reassured that we will be relentless in bringing these people to justice and are pursuing several lines of inquiry.’
An employee who works at a nearby store and witnessed the incident told the Daily Mail: ‘The two guys appeared out of nowhere carrying a large sledgehammer and a bag. They then started smashing the jewellers window up.’
The heist comes after Sultan Jewellers in Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, was attacked by several men who smashed the shop’s windows with a sledgehammer.
Police officers were at the scene within three minutes and were threatened with a hammer as the thieves tried to speed away on mopeds.
A 33-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of aggravated burglary and remains in police custody. But multiple thieves escaped police.
A police cordon was in place more than 12 hours after the theft while shards of broken glass and jewellery remained strewn on the floor outside.
Jack Stones, the landlord at the neighbouring Defectors Weld pub, said fresh blood was on the pavement outside the jewellers when he walked past at 7am, more than three hours after the attack.
One resident said the attack was eerily similar to another heist which saw three robbers armed with a sledgehammer smash into the shop with a Range Rover in October 2019.
