This is the dramatic moment a gang of masked raiders carried out a daring sledgehammer raid on a row of jewellery shops in the middle of the day.
Shocked shoppers ran for cover as four men carrying hammers and axes burst through the Argyll Arcade in Glasgow today as they carried out smash and grab raids on four stores.
Witnesses said an elderly security guard was rushed to hospital after being hit by one of the gang.
Four jewellery shops - Rox, Mappin and Webb, Laing the Jeweller, Lewis Grant - were targetted, with the gang only able to break into Rox, where police said they stole a 'small quantity' of jewellery, before running off.
The gang's getaway, through thick smoke which police said was released by a security device, was captured on video by stunned shoppers, who were warned that they would be shot unless they moved.
A security guard, dressed in his traditional uniform, complete with top hat, is seen trying to apprehend the gang.
A security smoke alarm was triggered, and the thieves, dressed in dark clothing with their faces covered, were then seen running out of the centre onto pedestrianised shopping destination, Buchanan Street.
They were then filmed darting down an alleyway between the arcade and the next door Princess Square shopping centre.
In video footage taken of the raid, one gang member can be heard to say: 'Out the way or I will kill you all.'
Police officers immediately closed down the shopping promenade, and cordoned off parts of Buchanan Street as well as blocking a side entrance and lowering the centre's shutters to prevent anyone from entering.
Retired district nurse Sally Fitzpatrick, 66, from East Kilbride, was in Laings jewellers with her sister, Margaret McGlone, 70, when the gang struck.
'I was in Laings and suddenly there was a bang outside the shop and then four or five men came running through wearing balaclavas and carrying truncheons,' she said.
'They hit the glass of the shop opposite Laings but then never got in, and then they ran away. But the glass never broke it just shattered, so I don't think they got anything.
'The next thing the jewellers set off smoke which was quite frightening as I didn't know what was happening.
'They never said to me, but seemingly they set off the smoke to deter people although I don't know how it would deter people outside because the smoke was inside.
'I never saw axes, all I saw was balaclavas and truncheons because they were just running by the shop.
'I was scared and everybody else was frightened, the women in Laings were frightened. Seemingly the security guard got hit, an elderly man, and he got taken away to hospital.
'It was the last thing I expected to happen while I was out looking for a new ring for myself.
'I didn't fear for my life because I was inside the shop, but if I'd been outside then it might have been different.'
Her sister Margaret had left the arcade just before the men struck.
She said: ''I'd just walked outside the arcade so I didn't see what happened and by the time I went back inside there was smoke coming out of the shop that Sally had been in.
'I thought it was just a fire at the time when I saw all the smoke and then Sally appeared after that so I knew she was all right.
"Only the security guard got hurt, it seemed to be his leg but I don't know what with. The police came fairly quickly, within five or 10 minutes.'
Eye-witness Liam Dargie, 21, who lives in Perth, captured the dramatic moment the men tried to flee the scene.
He said: 'A group of masked men running out the arcade carrying sledgehammers and big holdall bags.
'They ran into the alleyway next to the arcade while loads of smoke came piling out of it.'
Another witness said she was told by the masked men they would 'shoot' if she did not move.
Digitial designer and film maker David McCourt, 25, said: 'Myself and two colleagues were walking up Buchanan Street, when we were heard what sounded like a fire alarm coming from the Argyll Arcade.
'As we passed the opening to the arcade, we noticed many terrified looking shoppers fleeing from the scene.
'As we looked in, we noticed the arcade's smoke clouds had been activated with four to five figures dressed in black emerging.
'They were wearing balaclavas to conceal their identities and began to charge at the security brandishing baseball bats and hatchets, with some of them attempting to break the reinforced glass as they began their escape.
'Unable to successfully make away with any merchandise, the group of thieves then fled, with one of them shouting "I'll f****** kill you all", at which point I stopped filming.
'They were last seen disappearing down the adjoining alley way on foot, witnessed by some 30-40 onlookers.'
Eye-witness Paul Gray, 42, a marketing manager from Glasgow, said: 'I was standing outside in Buchanan Street when the smoke and alarms went off. At first we thought it was a fire, but the smoke was white.
'Then out of the smoke came four hooded boys carrying axes and baseball bats.
'They shouted at our crowd at the door to get out if the effing way or I'll kill you all.
'They then doubled back onto the next lane and ran quickly. It was jaw dropping.'
Speaking on social media, Ann-Marie McMenemy, said: 'Lovely lunch. Got screamed at off four balaclavad [sic] men at argyll arcade they would shoot me if I didn't move - thanks guys so nice.'
Calum Macaulay also tweeted: 'Was about to enter Fraser's on Buchanan St earlier and alarms going off and blokes in balaclavas running from jewellery heist.'
And shutters were also pulled down on the jewellery district, as officers could be seen taking statements from shaken customers and members of staff.
A lane next to the arcade - opposite House of Fraser - was also sealed off with several police officers standing guard.
Fire crews were also in attendance amid reports smoke could be seen coming from the arcade.
The Arcade prides itself on being Glasgow's jewellery quarter, similar to London's Hatton Garden, and boasts of offering 'the largest selection of diamond rings, diamond jewellery, wedding rings and watches in a single location in Scotland'.
There are 19 shops inside the shopping mall, most of which are jewellers. A window at the Mappin and Webb branch was broken, but it is not thought the raiders gained entry to the shop.
A Police Scotland spokesman said police were alerted to the theft at around 12.50pm.
'Police were called to a report of four jewellers - Rox, Mappin and Webb, Laing the Jeweller, Lewis Grant - being targeted by four males,' she said.
'They managed to enter only one of the jewellers – Rox - and quickly grabbed a small quantity of jewellery before running off.
'A security guard sustained a leg injury during the incident.
The four male suspects were last seen running up a lane at the side of the arcade’s Buchanan Street entrance.
Officers are currently speaking to witnesses and gathering CCTV images to establish more details on the four men responsible.
'The four suspects are described as 5ft 8ins in height and of slim build. All were wearing dark clothing.
'It is believed that they made off in a white hatchback vehicle. A white Volkswagon Golf has been recovered in St James Road, Townhead, Glasgow and enquiries are also ongoing at that location to establish if it is the vehicle involved.'
In September last year, a thief stole a watch and ring worth over £10,000 at Rox Jewellers in Glasgow's Argyll Arcade.
He stole the items worth a five-figure and was chased by a security guard into Buchanan Street before he was lost in the King Street car park area near St Enoch Shopping Centre.
Culled
No comments:
Post a Comment