A ‘smash and grab’ scooter gang have stolen dozens of handbags worth more than £100,000 after using crowbars and axes to break into six high street stores.
The gang also used a claw hammer while smashing their way into display windows at high end shops in London including Prada and Hugo Boss over the past month.
Fendi, Miu Miu, Browns and House of Fraser have also been targeted by the gangs on mopeds who have been carrying out the West End raids since early September.
Moped crime is a trend that has become a huge problem in recent months for most forces in big urban areas of Britain, but it appears yet to spread outside the country.
At Prada (above) on Bond Street, a security guard was knocked off his feet and beaten over the head and back seconds after the gang had driven a scooter through a large display window
High value handbags have been taken in all but one of the raids which usually last no longer than a few minutes in the middle of the night.
At Prada a security guard was knocked off his feet and beaten over the head and back seconds after the gang had driven a scooter through a large display window.
The five suspects made off on scooters and mopeds, sounding their horns as they passed an articulated lorry backing into a Marks and Spencer on the same street.
Handbags worth over £100,000 were stolen in the raid on the Prada store on New Bond Street which lasted just three minutes from 3.45am on September 21.
The security guard in his 60s was taken to a hospital and is now recovering at home.
Three days later two mopeds and one motorbike attempted to break in at Miu Miu, but fled after being disturbed by police without stealing any goods from the store.
The five suspects made off from Prada (pictured) on scooters and mopeds, sounding their horns as they passed an articulated lorry backing into a Marks and Spencer on the same street
Handbags worth over £100,000 were stolen in the raid on the Prada store on New Bond Street which lasted just three minutes from 3.45am on September 21
The next night a Hugo Boss store was raided by eight suspects riding four mopeds, who left some clothing on the floor as they fled but made off with £10,000 of goods.
Browns Ltd on South Molton Street was targeted by a group of up to four suspects on two scooters just after midnight the next night who stole over £10,000 of items.
And yesterday a Mulberry store was targeted by three mopeds as the front of the shop was smashed with a claw hammer, but they could not get into the building.
A Fendi store was hit by a group of up to seven suspects using three mopeds and scooters who smashed their way in via the front glass door and stole handbags and purses worth more than £200,000.
In another similar raid at House of Fraser store in Victoria on September 12, a display by Mulberry was targeted and a total of 33 high-value handbags were taken.
Scotland Yard today has not yet made any arrests, and officers have now released CCTV images of the suspects they are looking for.
The guard injured at the Prada store (above) was taken to a hospital and is now recovering
Detective Constable Paul Clarke, of Westminster CID, who is leading the probe, said: ‘A gang wearing mainly dark clothing and using black scooters have prowled the streets of London and committed these brazen attacks on a number of occasions.
‘These ‘smash and grab attacks’ last only a few minutes but are committed by individuals who are carrying weapons including axes, knives and crowbars.
‘There appears to be little planning ahead of the raids but high value stores are singled out with entry forced in the quickest possible manner by the group who have smashed large display windows using weapons and scooters.
‘Due to the description of the individuals involved and the methods used, we are working on the basis that these attacks are linked.
‘The gang routinely use motorcycle helmets and dark clothing to conceal their identity.
A file picture of a separate moped gang raid in London in August. There is no suggestion of any link between that raid and the current series of raids
‘As well as the criminality of the burglaries, our concern is also that they have not hesitated to use violence to ensure their raids remain undisturbed.
‘The latest images – released following the raid at Prada – show clear pictures of the individuals involved and our hope is that members of the public can help us identify those behind these attacks.
‘A number of enquiries, including the recovery of detailed CCTV footage are ongoing. I would urge any witnesses and those with information to come forward and speak to my team who are ready to take your call.’
Figures in August showed 11,596 moped-based crimes took place in London, more than twice the 5,047 offences recorded in the previous 12 months.
A month earlier, Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick said criminals had simply struck on a tactic that was giving them ‘success’ as her officers raced to catch up.
Police are now using innovative methods, including ‘DNA’ sprays to mark fleeing suspects so they can be identified later and ‘stinger’ devices to puncture tyres.