British police have arrested a suspect in what is thought to be Britain's biggest jewelry heist. The suspect is not one of the two smartly dressed men who walked into Graff on London's upmarket New Bond Street last Thursday, but could be an accomplice or getaway driver. Police said there are at least four suspects. The two robbers were armed with handguns with which they threatened staff before getting away with 43 rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches.
As they left, they dragged a female member of staff with them and fired a warning shot outside the shop. No one was injured and the assistant was left behind as the robbers raced off. Another shot was fired soon after as the pair abandoned their BMW getaway car nearby and switched to a Mercedes-Benz, before switching to a third car later.
As they left, they dragged a female member of staff with them and fired a warning shot outside the shop. No one was injured and the assistant was left behind as the robbers raced off. Another shot was fired soon after as the pair abandoned their BMW getaway car nearby and switched to a Mercedes-Benz, before switching to a third car later.
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"These men are extremely dangerous and fired at least two shots in busy London streets as they made their getaway," a police inspector said. "As far as the UK is concerned we do not know of a bigger jewelry raid. "Someone knows who these men are - they must have spoken about it beforehand or boasted about it afterward." The pair, dressed in gray suits and white shirts and speaking with London accents, were probably helped by at least another two men acting as getaway drivers.
"These men are extremely dangerous and fired at least two shots in busy London streets as they made their getaway," a police inspector said. "As far as the UK is concerned we do not know of a bigger jewelry raid. "Someone knows who these men are - they must have spoken about it beforehand or boasted about it afterward." The pair, dressed in gray suits and white shirts and speaking with London accents, were probably helped by at least another two men acting as getaway drivers.
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Graff is known for its diamonds and has a celebrity clientele. It was also targeted in 2003 in what until now was reportedly Britain's most expensive jewelry robbery, worth 23 million when it was robbed by jewel thief Nebojsa Denic, a Kosovan Serb and a member of the notorious gang of Balkan robbers known as "the Pink Panthers." Denic was caught and sentenced to 15 years in prison. In 2007, another smartly dressed pair was chauffeured to the store's Sloane Street branch in a Bentley Continental Flying Spur. They whipped out handguns and made off with 10 million pounds worth of gems. The latest heist is also thought to be the second biggest robbery ever in Britain. First place is still held by a 53 million raid in 2006 on a Securitas depot in Kent, southeast England. New Bond Street, in London's exclusive Mayfair district, is dotted with big-name gem stores including royal jewelers Asprey. Celebrities spotted wearing Graff's jewels include Paris Hilton, Kylie Minogue, Naomi Campbell, Oprah Winfrey and Victoria Beckham.
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