12 Aug 2009

London robbers steal Stg40m worth of jewels

3:14 pm on 12 August 2009

Robbers have stolen nearly £40 million worth of items from a jewellers in London.

Two men with handguns took 43 items from Graff jewellers in New Bond Street on 6 August. CCTV images of the two men have been issued.

Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace from the Flying Squad said it was a well planned robbery and the men are extremely dangerous.

One of the stolen items was a pair of white round diamond double-hoop earrings.

A yellow diamond flower necklace, a platinum white Marquise diamond ring and a Chronograph men's watch were among the other pieces taken.

The BBC reports the store has been targeted by robbers before. Jewellery worth an estimated £23 million was taken in 2003.

Police said the £40 million haul was exceeded only by a £53 million raid on a Securitas depot in Kent in 2006.

Jewellery worth as much as £10 million was taken from a branch of Graff Diamonds in Sloane Street in central London in 2007 by two men posing as customers.