Cross-dressing armed robber in Upton Park jewellery store raid - pictures
Picture gallery of armed robbery suspects released after �460,000 worth of jewels are stolen
Seven men - one wearing women’s clothing - smashed their way into an Upton Park store and stole �460,000 worth of jewellery.
A male customer was also attacked during the robbery at Lasani Jewellers in Plashet Grove, which specialises in 22 and 24 carat gold jewellery.
One of the robbers is described as a white male wearing a black wig, a black ladies coat with a grey fur lined collar, black tights and black slip-on flat shoes.
The owners of the family-run jewellers had “buzzed” a male through the front door of the premises at 5pm on November 21 when a further six quickly ran in behind him and started to smash the second security door which leads into the shop.
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Once inside, one of the gang sprayed some gas in the direction of one of the owners and the male customer.
The robbers then started to smash all of the glass display cases with an axe and sledge hammer. It is thought the customer was kicked, punched, and hit with a sledgehammer.
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One of the men stayed outside the premises and kept watch. He was seen on CCTV throwing a petrol bomb onto the pavement, which caught fire.
Meanwhile inside gang members loaded all of the gold they had collected into holdalls and fled towards Park Road, dropping a plastic bag which had two homemade petrol bombs inside.
No arrests have been made.
In an appeal, Det Cons Nick Larkey, of the Flying Squad, said: “This was a violent attack which left the shop owners extremely shaken and a customer injured.
“We need help from the public to trace these individuals before they attempt to target somewhere else.”
Anyone with information should contact (020) 8345 4255 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
