This is the
dramatic moment a gang of masked raiders carried out a daring
sledgehammer raid on a row of jewellery shops in the middle of the day.
Shocked
shoppers ran for cover as four men carrying hammers and axes burst
through the Argyll Arcade in Glasgow today as they carried out smash and
grab raids on four stores.
Witnesses said an elderly security guard was rushed to hospital after being hit by one of the gang.
Raid: This is the dramatic moment a
gang of masked raiders carried out a daring sledgehammer raid on a
jewellery shop in Glasgow's Argyll Arcade in the middle of the day
Smoke:
Hammer-wielding gang members were seen sprinting through a cloud of
thick smoke, thought to have been caused by a security device. A
security guard, wearing his traditional top hat, can be seen trying to
apprehend them
Four
jewellery shops - Rox, Mappin and Webb, Laing the Jeweller, Lewis Grant
- were targetted, with the gang only able to break into Rox, where
police said they stole a 'small quantity' of jewellery, before running
off.
The
gang's getaway, through thick smoke which police said was released by a
security device, was captured on video by stunned shoppers, who were
warned that they would be shot unless they moved.
A security guard, dressed in his traditional uniform, complete with top hat, is seen trying to apprehend the gang.
A
security smoke alarm was triggered, and the thieves, dressed in dark
clothing with their faces covered, were then seen running out of the
centre onto pedestrianised shopping destination, Buchanan Street.
They were then filmed darting down an alleyway between the arcade and the next door Princess Square shopping centre.
In video footage taken of the raid, one gang member can be heard to say: 'Out the way or I will kill you all.'
Shock: Shoppers watch as the gang make their escape through the smoke-filled arcade
Escape: The gang were then seen running out of the Arcade and sprinting down a shopping street
Police
officers immediately closed down the shopping promenade, and cordoned
off parts of Buchanan Street as well as blocking a side entrance and
lowering the centre's shutters to prevent anyone from entering.
Retired
district nurse Sally Fitzpatrick, 66, from East Kilbride, was in Laings
jewellers with her sister, Margaret McGlone, 70, when the gang struck.
'I
was in Laings and suddenly there was a bang outside the shop and then
four or five men came running through wearing balaclavas and carrying
truncheons,' she said.
'They
hit the glass of the shop opposite Laings but then never got in, and
then they ran away. But the glass never broke it just shattered, so I
don't think they got anything.
'The next thing the jewellers set off smoke which was quite frightening as I didn't know what was happening.
'They
never said to me, but seemingly they set off the smoke to deter people
although I don't know how it would deter people outside because the
smoke was inside.
'I never saw axes, all I saw was balaclavas and truncheons because they were just running by the shop.
Probe: A police spokesman confirmed that officers were investigating reports of an armed robbery
Witness: Shopper Calum Macaulay said he saw men in balaclavas running away from the Arcade
'I
was scared and everybody else was frightened, the women in Laings were
frightened. Seemingly the security guard got hit, an elderly man, and he
got taken away to hospital.
'It was the last thing I expected to happen while I was out looking for a new ring for myself.
'I didn't fear for my life because I was inside the shop, but if I'd been outside then it might have been different.'
Her sister Margaret had left the arcade just before the men struck.
She
said: ''I'd just walked outside the arcade so I didn't see what
happened and by the time I went back inside there was smoke coming out
of the shop that Sally had been in.
'I
thought it was just a fire at the time when I saw all the smoke and
then Sally appeared after that so I knew she was all right.
"Only
the security guard got hurt, it seemed to be his leg but I don't know
what with. The police came fairly quickly, within five or 10 minutes.'
Eye-witness Liam Dargie, 21, who lives in Perth, captured the dramatic moment the men tried to flee the scene.
Aftermath: Five police vehicles and an ambulance are seen waiting outside the Arcade, while police officer guards the entrance
Sealed off: Officers tape off the entrance to the Argyll Arcade on Glasgow's busy Buchanan Street
Escape route: After leaving the Arcade, the gang was seen sprinting down this alleyway
He said: 'A group of masked men running out the arcade carrying sledgehammers and big holdall bags.
'They ran into the alleyway next to the arcade while loads of smoke came piling out of it.'
Another witness said she was told by the masked men they would 'shoot' if she did not move.
Digitial
designer and film maker David McCourt, 25, said: 'Myself and two
colleagues were walking up Buchanan Street, when we were heard what
sounded like a fire alarm coming from the Argyll Arcade.
'As we passed the opening to the arcade, we noticed many terrified looking shoppers fleeing from the scene.
'As we looked in, we noticed the arcade's smoke clouds had been activated with four to five figures dressed in black emerging.
'They
were wearing balaclavas to conceal their identities and began to charge
at the security brandishing baseball bats and hatchets, with some of
them attempting to break the reinforced glass as they began their
escape.
'Unable
to successfully make away with any merchandise, the group of thieves
then fled, with one of them shouting "I'll f****** kill you all", at
which point I stopped filming.
'They were last seen disappearing down the adjoining alley way on foot, witnessed by some 30-40 onlookers.'
Emergency: Police were called to the shopping centre at 12.20pm today
Eye-witness
Paul Gray, 42, a marketing manager from Glasgow, said: 'I was standing
outside in Buchanan Street when the smoke and alarms went off. At first
we thought it was a fire, but the smoke was white.
'Then out of the smoke came four hooded boys carrying axes and baseball bats.
'They shouted at our crowd at the door to get out if the effing way or I'll kill you all.
'They then doubled back onto the next lane and ran quickly. It was jaw dropping.'
Speaking
on social media, Ann-Marie McMenemy, said: 'Lovely lunch. Got screamed
at off four balaclavad [sic] men at argyll arcade they would shoot me if
I didn't move - thanks guys so nice.'
Calum
Macaulay also tweeted: 'Was about to enter Fraser's on Buchanan St
earlier and alarms going off and blokes in balaclavas running from
jewellery heist.'
And
shutters were also pulled down on the jewellery district, as officers
could be seen taking statements from shaken customers and members of
staff.
A lane next to the arcade - opposite House of Fraser - was also sealed off with several police officers standing guard.
Fire crews were also in attendance amid reports smoke could be seen coming from the arcade.
The
Arcade prides itself on being Glasgow's jewellery quarter, similar to
London's Hatton Garden, and boasts of offering 'the largest selection of
diamond rings, diamond jewellery, wedding rings and watches in a single
location in Scotland'.
There
are 19 shops inside the shopping mall, most of which are jewellers. A
window at the Mappin and Webb branch was broken, but it is not thought
the raiders gained entry to the shop.
Target: The gang are thought to have tried to smash a window at the Mappin and Webb branch
A Police Scotland spokesman said police were alerted to the theft at around 12.50pm.
'Police
were called to a report of four jewellers - Rox, Mappin and Webb, Laing
the Jeweller, Lewis Grant - being targeted by four males,' she said.
'They managed to enter only one of the jewellers – Rox - and quickly grabbed a small quantity of jewellery before running off.
'A security guard sustained a leg injury during the incident.
The four male suspects were last seen running up a lane at the side of the arcade’s Buchanan Street entrance.
Officers are currently speaking to witnesses and gathering CCTV images to establish more details on the four men responsible.
'The four suspects are described as 5ft 8ins in height and of slim build. All were wearing dark clothing.
'It
is believed that they made off in a white hatchback vehicle. A white
Volkswagon Golf has been recovered in St James Road, Townhead, Glasgow
and enquiries are also ongoing at that location to establish if it is
the vehicle involved.'
In September last year, a thief stole a watch and ring worth over £10,000 at Rox Jewellers in Glasgow's Argyll Arcade.
He
stole the items worth a five-figure and was chased by a security guard
into Buchanan Street before he was lost in the King Street car park area
near St Enoch Shopping Centre.
Destination: The Arcade prides itself on being Glasgow's jewellery quarter, similar to London's Hatton Garden
Stores:
There are 19 shops inside the shopping mall, most of which are
jewellers, and witnesses said the men had tried to break into the Mappin
and Webb and Laings of Glasgow stores
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