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Graff Diamonds £40 Million Jewellery Robbery Is Britain's Biggest Gem Heist


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HOLA441

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/601...-gem-heist.html

Scotland Yard have issued CCTV images of two men dressed in suits, concealing handguns, who escaped with 43 rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches from the central London store last week.

They threatened staff at Graff’s with handguns, briefly seized a woman employee as a hostage, and fired warning shots as they made a getaway in a series of cars.

The extent of the heist had been kept secret but police have now disclosed that the items stolen had a retail value of $65 million (£40 million). Britain’s previous biggest diamond jewellery robbery is believed to be a £23 million raid, which also took place at Graff's, in 2003.

The two men, thought to be Londoners, arrived in a taxi at 4.40pm on August 6 and were only in the New Bond Street jewellers for a matter of minutes.

After being let in through the security doors both men produced handguns and threatened staff. They selected a total of 43 items and placed them into a bag before briefly seizing a woman employee hostage.

She was taken outside but released when the raiders made their getaway in a blue BMW, having fired a warning shot above their heads.

Their escape was nearly foiled when the car crashed into a black cab in Dover Street. As the driver and punters from a nearby pub gave chase, one of the men fired another round into the ground to warn them off.

Are BTL'ers getting desperate now?

Perhaps they have a large investment portfolio at Thames Meade?

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Guest sillybear2

Why don't the rozzers pop down to Threadneedle Street whilst they're at it, less than a week ago a criminal gang announced an additional £50 billion in a vast counterfeiting scheme.

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Guest sillybear2
the security on that shop is terrible - don't know how they even get insurance.

The warning signs were all there, the robbers were calm, well dressed and sounded disarmingly professional... they resembled bankers.

It's similar to the daring heist they pulled at a one '11 Downing Street' late last year, they walked in, quietly pocketed the money and then left.

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HOLA4410

Criminals are obviously back to their old ways, rather than running dodgy property fronts and scams :)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/c...icle6792217.ece

An armed gang took a woman hostage as they stole £40 million worth of rings, necklaces and bracelets from an exclusive store in what is thought to be Britain’s biggest jewellery robbery.

Two smartly dressed men arrived in a taxi at Graff’s jewellers in Bond Street, Central London, last week and were admitted through the security doors into the store, which caters for celebrities including the Beckhams.

Once inside they produced handguns and forced the staff to the floor, apart from one woman who was told to open a display cabinet.

Within minutes they had grabbed 43 items and thrown them into a holdall before briefly taking the female worker hostage as they left. Police believe this was to ensure that they were not locked between the security doors.

As they left they fired a warning shot into the ground before escaping in a blue BMW, which hit a taxi. A second shot was then fired into the ground when passers-by pursued the gang as they clambered into a silver Mercedes. The men then transferred to a third car, described as a black Ford Galaxy or VW Sharan.

Flying Squad detectives believe that they are looking for at least five men, including a motorbike rider who was given a package by the two men when they were in the BMW.

Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace from the Flying Squad said: “This was a well-planned robbery with a number of vehicles used to help the robbers escape. These men are extremely dangerous and fired at least two shots in busy London streets as they made their getaway.

“As far as the UK is concerned we do not know of a bigger raid.

“Someone knows who these men are — they would undoubtedly have spoken about it beforehand or boasted about it afterwards. I would urge anyone who recognises them, knows the whereabouts of the jewellery or has any other information to contact us."

The first suspect is described as white, approximately 30 years old, with a slim build, dark hair with a well-combed side parting, light stubble on his face and is between 5ft 10in and 6ft tall. He was wearing a grey suit, white shirt and tie.

His accomplice is black, described as being in his 30s, 6ft tall, more well built than the first suspect, with very short Afro hair. He was also wearing a grey suit, white shirt and tie.

It is believed both men spoke with London accents.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Barnes Flying Squad on 020 8247 4804; if you wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Five of the the most valuable items to have been stolen include:

1) White gold round diamond pave triple hoop earrings which contain 216 separate white diamonds

2) Yellow oval diamond ring with white pearshape and round diamond shank. It contains a total of 179 diamonds, in yellow and white

3) White round diamond double hoop white gold earrings with a white pearshape and round diamond top in which are set a total of 84 diamonds

4) Multicoloured and white pearshape, round and cushion yellow diamond flower necklace. A large platinum and gold necklace containing 272 different diamonds in pink and yellow.

5) Ovalshape white diamond single line necklace encrusted with 78 diamonds.

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Guest DissipatedYouthIsValuable

I bought some lovely new earrings tonight from an African door-to-door salesman.

Would you like to come over and sit on my knee with a cup of tea?

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The amount of times I used to get my house stolen a couple of years ago... :rolleyes:

Why don't we blame other ridiculously unconnected events on the economy in a pathectic attempt to put a negative spin on the recent news of stock rises, increased activity in the construction sector, rising house prices and generally good news?

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HOLA4415
The amount of times I used to get my house stolen a couple of years ago... :rolleyes:

Why don't we blame other ridiculously unconnected events on the economy in a pathectic attempt to put a negative spin on the recent news of stock rises, increased activity in the construction sector, rising house prices and generally good news?

Since when has rising house prices been good news?

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You've got to be a proper numpty to steal jewelery, quite honestly. Especially jewelery of that nature. I mean, just where the fvck are you gonna off load it? It's not as though you're going to be able to flog it down the boozer on a Saturday night like you could with 14K crap from Argos.

That stuff will be spotted all over the world and it will be worth sod all if broken up. Even then, most of the larger stones will be marked. Even legit jewelery has a sh1te resale value, that stuff will be worth next to nowt.

They would have been much better off stealing a bunch of sovereigns or Krugerrands or similar.

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