JEWELLERY raiders armed with hammers got away with £26,000 of watches, bracelets and necklaces when they targeted a shop in York city-centre twice in three nights.
Less than 24 hours after Links of London in Stonegate had reopened following the first raid, burglars struck again.
Both times, the raiders took no more than three minutes to smash their way through the shop door, break into display cabinets and take jewellery from inside. Each time, the burglars made their getaway past the Minster on bikes, but were caught on CCTV.
A shot of raiders duing the second break-in, on Saturday
The shop is currently closed with a notice in the window saying this is due to "unforeseen circumstances." The damage alone is estimated at costing £5,000 to repair.
York CID have released CCTV pictures of the burglars and appeal to anyone who knows who the raiders are or who can help in the investigation to contact them.
See anyone you recognise? These images were captured during the first raid
The first raid began in the early hours of Thursday when the offenders cycled along Queen's Path beside the East End of York Minster, towards the shop on the junction of High Petergate and Stonegate. Wearing disguises, they threw a metal drain cover through the front door shortly after 3.15am, setting off the burglar alarm.
Within three minutes, they had grabbed £10,000 of watches, bracelets and necklaces from the shop by smashing display cabinets with hammers. They left the way they had come, along Queen's Path past the Minster.
The shop reopened at 11.30am on Friday but the raiders were back at 2.47am on Saturday, riding up High Petergate. Again they threw a metal drain cover through the front door.
This time they also used the metal cover to smash glass cubes inside. They took only a minute to take watches worth £16,000 before leaving past the Minster once more. Again they got away despite setting off the burglar alarm.
One of the raiders was riding a mountain bike and the other a BMX type bike.
Nobody was injured in either raid.
The shop door is boarded up tonight
Can you help?
- Anyone with information about either raid is asked to phone DC Kevin Goodman on 01904 669453, email yorkcid@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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