Robbers steal jewellery 'worth thousands' during daylight raids in Hounslow
6:00pm Wednesday 27th January 2010 in News By Ian Mason
Jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds was snatched during two daring daylight robberies in separate shopping parades.
Police believe that £30,000 to £40,000 in jewellery was stolen after three men kicked open a locked door at the back of Krishma Jewellers, in Vicarage Farm Road, Hounslow, on Monday.
The robbers forced their way in at 12.45pm, when the shop was closed for lunch, before pushing over and smashing a cabinet. The trio escaped with their valuable haul in a black car, leaving a member of staff, who was in the back of the building, unhurt.
Three days earlier terrified shop staff watched as robbers smashed a jewellery counter with sledghammers during an afternoon raid.
Five men burst into pawnbroker Harvey & Thompson, in High Street, Hounslow, at 5.15pm last Friday and began battering the counter with two sledgehammers. Two men grabbed the jewellery from the shattered display and passed it to their accomplices, who were waiting by the door.
The gang then escaped down an alleyway opposite the shop, through a car park and into School Road. Police believe they made off with their haul in a transit-size van.
Four members of staff were in the shop at the time but no-one was injured.
One of the robbers wore light khaki trousers, a black hooded jumper and black gloves, another had on light khaki trousers, a dark blue hooded jumper with white stripes on the sleeves. A third suspect wore light grey tracksuit bottoms, a grey and black horizontally stripped hooded jumper and gloves and a fourth was wearing a black padded jacket with a Nike emblem on it. All four are white. No description could be given for the fifth robber.
Investigating officer from Barnes Flying Squad, Detective Constable Stuart Crawford, said: “We are keen to trace anyone who may have seen these men in the area before or after the robbery or who may have seen the van leaving School Road. This was a frightening experience for the staff involved and I would encourage anyone with information to come forward and help us find those responsible.”
Anyone with information should call the Incident Room on 020 8247 4804 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Three men were arrested in Ealing on Tuesday in connection with the raid on Krishma Jewellers.
Danny Salim Koroma, 34, of Maybank Avenue, Wembley, appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court charged with one count of robbery on Wednesday. He was remanded in custody to appear at Kingston Crown Court in April.
Two other men were bailed to return in early March pending further enquiries.
