20/07/2010 - Gang jailed after jewellery robbery
A gang of jewellery robbers, who stole almost 50 watches worth more than £300,000 from a store in central London, has been jailed.
The five men used sledgehammers to smash the windows of Ernest Jones in Oxford Street, and stole £330,000 worth of Breitling and Rolex watches on September 5, 2009, Scotland Yard said.
The gang drove through crowds of pedestrians in the centre of the capital as they rode across pavements on three motorbikes just two minutes later.
However, the gang were unaware that their escape was captured by an off-duty policeman who filmed the incident on his mobile phone.
Officers raided a lock-up garage on the Triangle Estate in Islington, north London, after reports of the gang speeding on the estate. Four stolen motorbikes, a claw hammer, an empty helmet bag and clothing were seized by police in the raid.
The gang, who all admitted conspiring to rob the jewellers, were jailed on Monday.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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