Six flee on one moped after armed raid at Regent Street jewellers

Six robbers have fled on a single moped after a smash-and-grab raid at a high-end jewellers in central London.

The gang, wielding a machete and a hammer, escaped on one bike after raiding Mappin & Webb in Regent Street, according to police.

They arrived on three scooters but abandoned one at the scene and crashed another in Oxford Street, the Metropolitan Police said.

A spokesman said: "The suspects who were on that moped were then picked up before all six fled on a single remaining moped."

The thieves made off with a high-value haul after smashing cabinets at the store in the West End at around 7.20pm on Monday.

Witnesses tweeted pictures of the jewellers filled with smoke after the incident.

Steve Ralfe posted: "Smash and grab at Regent Street jewellers. All three emergency services on scene, smoke deployed in the store."

Siobhain Butterworth wrote: "Seems to have been an attempted robbery at Mappin & Web on Regent Street. Getaway vehicle appears to have been scooter."

No arrests have been made and police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Mappin & Webb was founded in 1775 and customers have included Queen of France Marie Antoinette, Grace Kelly and Winston Churchill.

Anyone with information can call the Metropolitan Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.