Moped gang armed with sledgehammers raid prestigious Chelsea jewellers

Police are hunting a gang who carried out a terrifying robbery on an upmarket Chelsea jewellers, before escaping on mopeds. 

The raiders, who were armed with sledgehammers, burst into a branch of Boodles in Basil Street, Chelsea just after 10.30am on Wednesday.

A video of the raid showed smoke pouring from the front of the store.

It was feared that the gang may have used smoke bombs to disorientate staff, but there were suggestions it may have been part of the store security system. 

Police said they smashed a number of display cabinets before grabbing jewellery and making their escape on scooters.

Boodles, which was founded in 1798, specialises in diamond jewellery and also stocks watches worth many thousands of pounds.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police are investigating after the robbery of a jewellers in Chelsea.

"Police were called at 10:37hrs on Wednesday, 16 August to reports of a robbery at a jewellers in Basil Street at junction with Sloane Street, SW1.

"A number of suspects had arrived on motor scooters, entered the store and then used hammers to smash their way through counter displays.

"The robbers removed property from the displays and then made off on the bikes."

Police said nobody had been hurt in the raid and there had been no arrests at this stage.