Raiders escaped with �2m worth of watches and jewellery in less than two minutes

Detectives hunting for the gang behind a ‘smash and grab’ robbery in Brent Cross Shopping Centre have released CCTV footage of the raiders in action.

The short clip shows the six-strong gang speeding into the centre on three motorbikes where they targeted Fraser Hart jewellers.

A security guard outside the store is forced to leap out of the way as three of the robbers smash through the shops windows and grab watches and jewellery believed to be worth up to �2million.

The remain three come off their bikes momentarily to stand guard before all six jump back on their vehicles and speed off in the direction of Hendon Central.

The raid took under two minutes.

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.