Metropolitan Police are appealing for witnesses following an aggravated burglary at a family-run jewellery business in Richmond, the latest in a series of similar attacks targeting London jewellers.
Scotland Yard confirmed no arrests have been made following Saturday’s incident at Gregory & Co in Paved Court, where two suspects used hammers to smash street-facing windows around 10:30am before escaping with valuables stored in a blue bag.
The west London borough location, which has served as a filming site for Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, sits on a narrow cobblestone pedestrian street lined with shops, cafes and restaurants. Officers are treating the case as aggravated burglary.
The business owners stated they have remained closed since the weekend attack but expect to reopen later this week. They confirmed all customers’ items were “securely locked” in safes during the incident and thanked the local community for support, describing themselves as “shaken” by the ordeal.
Video footage captured by shocked bystanders showed the suspects smashing their way into the premises whilst staff frantically removed items from displays in an attempt to protect expensive jewellery. One employee was filmed striking the robbers with what appeared to be a small box, though this proved ineffective in preventing the theft.
The Richmond raid follows an eerily similar incident earlier last week at Sultan Jewellers on Uxbridge Road in Shepherd’s Bush, where a group used a sledgehammer to break windows. Officers arrived within three minutes but were confronted with a hammer as assailants fled on mopeds.
Police arrested a 33-year-old man at the Shepherd’s Bush location on suspicion of aggravated burglary, and he remains in custody. However, several other suspects managed to evade capture.
The pattern of hammer-wielding thieves targeting jewellery stores in broad daylight has raised concerns about coordinated attacks on such businesses across the capital. Both incidents involved similar methods of smashing windows and rapid escape attempts.
Paved Court’s location as a busy pedestrian area with multiple witnesses did not deter the Richmond attackers, who carried out the robbery during late morning when shops and cafes would typically experience customer traffic.
The Metropolitan Police continue investigating both incidents and are examining potential links between the attacks. Anyone with information about Saturday’s Richmond robbery is urged to contact authorities.
