Motorbike raiders seen snatching watches and jewellery from Fraser Hart

The actions of the ‘smash and grab’ robbers who targeted a jewellers in Brent Cross Shopping Centre has been captured on dramatic video footage.

The raiders can been seen smashing the windows of Fraser Hart with pickaxes and bats before snatching watches and jewellery believed to be worth up to �2million.

The raid which took place yesterday at 10.15am was carried out in front of shocked shoppers.

The six robbers sped into the centre via the entrance at New Look on three motorbikes before three of the raiders jumped off and carried out the audacious theft.

The trio fled back to their awaiting motorbikes and sped away in the direction of Hendon Central.

The motorbikes were found abandoned approximately 15 minutes later in Mill Hill near to a golf course.

All of the men were wearing dark clothing and crash helmets with the visors down.

Nobody was injured, however an elderly man, a member of the public, was treated for shock at the scene.

According to a witness the gang dropped some of their haul during their escape.

Shopper @damomullen, who was at the Apple store when the robbers struck, tweeted “they drove out of there so fast I doubt anyone had anytime to catch them, apparently they dropped some of the stuff.”

He added: “the speed they were doing in the shopping centre was insane, happened fairly quickly.”

Another witness who asked not to be named told the Times: “They came in on motorbikes and had pick axes and bats, it was terrifying.”

The Met’s Flying squad are investigating the robbery.

Detective Chief Inspector Harry Hennigan, who is now leading the hunt, said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have seen the of events at the Brent Cross shopping centre this morning when the jewellers was robbed having only just opened its doors to its first shoppers.

“We are also appealing to anyone who may have seen the three motorbikes being driven from Brent Cross to Mill Hill. We urge anyone with information to call our incident room.”

Call the Flying Squad on 020 8358 1751 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

There have been no arrests so far.