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POLICE IN LONDON have appealed for information after burglars smashed a hole in the wall of a jewellers and crawled inside to steal £1.8 million-worth (about €1.9 million) of goods.
Asian gold and diamond necklaces, bracelets, pendants and earrings were taken during the raid on Joyalukkas on Green Street in Newham.
The Metropolitan Police have today released CCTV footage and images of three of the men who acted as lookouts, as well as footage of two suspects inside the shop.
All images: Metropolitan Police
The incident was reported to police on Monday 10 July after employees arrived at work to discover the shop in disarray. The raid took place between 3am and 6.40am that morning.
Eight suspects are believed to have been involved, with three entering the shop and the rest acting as lookouts.
Police said three men used a sledgehammer and a crowbar – left at the scene – to create a hole in the rear of the shop.
Once it was large enough, they crawled inside. The men spent more than three hours inside gathering the jewellery from drawers and counters and stuffing it into rucksacks.
‘Meticulously planned and audacious’
They then left via the hole and are believed to have climbed a wall into a builders’ yard behind the shop before fleeing.
The remaining suspects acted as lookouts, three of whom watched the shop from 5pm on Sunday 9 July until the raid was complete.
All the suspects are men, with some aged in their mid-30s. The three men inside the shop wore gloves and had their faces covered.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Pallett said: “This was a meticulously planned and audacious raid on a jewellery shop with £1.8million of items stolen.
While we think it only took the suspects around 20 mins to make the hole, it must have been noisy work and we would appeal for anyone who heard or saw anything suspicious to contact us.
Officers would also like to hear from anyone who might have been offered items of jewellery for sale in the days or weeks following this incident.
There have been no arrests to date and enquiries continue.
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It amazes me that these shops have such immense value of goods yet their cctv is first moon landing era!
@Aurin O’Brien: agreed, and whats even more mind blowing is that a bog standard domestic intruder alarm has motions sensors (PIRs) yet a few million worth of jewellery sitting in a shop where burglars can spend 3 hours looting, has no pirs? Sounds like an inside job, thats too easy.
The hole in wall gang that’s who done it !
These robbers were on a good diet.
Burglars smash hole in wall, police are looking into it.
Where was the CCTV footage of Hammersmith Bridge.
That took b@lls like an old school heist
@Jamie: h
Shop owner is a complete numpty. Everything should be put in a safe at close of business every night. Doubt if the insurance company will cover the loss.
Film and Tv series coming soon
Good on them
Wait for the copy cat robberies here
@Martin Sinnott: one of the oldest tricks in the book was popular before alarms were around
Why isn’t there a green thumb option on the story!!!
Shurely Should put high value stuff in safe/strongroom when shop closed.. wonder what their insurance policy says..
Donegal Tigers
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