Thieves on mopeds hit designer store for second time in 10 days
A moped gang seized tens of thousands of pounds worth of designer handbags in a smash-and-grab raid on a West End store — 10 days after an identical attack on the same shop.
The gang struck at the Dolce & Gabbana store in New Bond Street at 11.45pm last night, smashing the glass front windows with heavy stones.
Up to seven robbers on five mopeds grabbed up to 20 bags worth thousands of pounds before fleeing.
The gang was disturbed by police who raced to the scene and one of the mopeds crashed.
It is the latest in a series of violent robberies that are plaguing West End store owners and which police believe have been timed to coincide with the launch of autumn fashion collections in the shops.
Two weeks ago a gang of four stole 30 designer bags from the Vivienne Westwood store in Soho, and police are investigating whether the raids are linked.
In April, thieves smashed their way into Chanel in Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, stealing handbags worth thousands of pounds. A day later thieves targeted a jeweller's in King's Road, Chelsea, with a sledgehammer.
Last month thieves on mopeds threw watches at police as they fled with a £500,000 haul from Fraser Hart jewellers in Kingston. A raid also took place at De Beers in the Royal Exchange shopping centre, during which £380,000 of gems and watches were taken.
In the past 18 months police have broken up several gangs and convicted 46 people in connection with smash and grab raids. In July five men were jailed for a total of 24 years following a raid on a jeweller's in Oxford Street.
Today detectives charged six people in connection with a series of high-value robberies on gem dealers in London, the Midlands and Scotland. Rodolfo Gonzales Ramos, 36, Ivan Fernandez-Amescha, 40, Christian Villamar-Leal, 36, Luis Silva, 26, John Bernal-Patino, 27, and Dianna Albarracin-Tovar, 31, all of no fixed abode, are due to appear from custody at Leicester magistrates' court.
