Local residents and shopkeepers took on nearly a dozen armed robbers as they ransacked a jewellery store in Kingsbury, north London. A video footage showed locals, who are speaking in Arabic, shouting for police as a six to ten bikers are looting the shop.
The men arrived at the store armed with an axe and a sledgehammer and began smashing windows and snatching jewellery from the shop’s display area on last Monday, police said. Sami and his son Mohammed Said, 20, tried to fight them off with baseball bats but were outnumbered until locals got together and confronted the robbers.
Mohammed Madhi Said reportedly said: “In 90 seconds they took everything, 90 seconds, they pretty much took everything. “They smashed both doors and got in and as soon as they did one of the guys with a hammer attacked us, I couldn’t see what was in his other hand, it could have been a knife or a gun.”
The residents then took law into their own hands, arming themselves with nearby objects and chased the robbers.
As the gang attempted to make their getaway on scooters, the crowd managed to catch up to one of the five vehicles and pin down a suspect, who is arrested by the police after they quickly arrive on the scene.
Police were called to the scene at about 2.12pm and took the captured man to a north London police station for questioning. A 24-year-old man was arrested later on suspicion of armed robbery.
DI Scott Hartley said: “This was a brazen robbery carried out in the middle of the day. “I would like to praise the bravery of those in the local community who intervened in dangerous circumstances.”
Sami Said, 48, manager of The Jeweller on Kingsbury Road, threw a feast to thank the passersby for their help.
Police are urging anyone who saw the incident to call them on 0208 785 8655 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
