Islington Tribune - News: Scooter gemt hieves caught after attempted eBay sale

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Islington Tribune - by TOM FOOT
Published: 14 December 2007

Scooter gem thieves caught after attempted eBay sale

POLICE hunting sledgehammer-wielding scooter gangs in the West End claimed a breakthrough this week following the arrests of seven Islington men.
They were arrested in connection with split-second smash-and-grab raids that have plagued designer stores for years.
The men – aged between 19 and 43 – were arrested at a series of addresses in Holloway and Kings Cross. The bungling gang members were caught after police traced attempts to sell the stolen goods back to the owners on auction website eBay.
Officers recovered handbags, luxury jewellery and thousands of pounds in cash. Stolen cars, motorcycles and mopeds were also seized during the raids.
The robbers were held in custody at West End Central police station, Mayfair, this week. In what has become a weekly occurrence in Mayfair, the gem thieves smash shop windows with sledgehammers hidden in their scooters, grab the window display and drive away into thin air. Restrictions banning police from high speed chases through residential streets following the death of a 19-year-old in Mayfair last year have made catching the thieves harder.
Following the arrests, the Met has urged shop owners to remove items from their window displays and install metal shutters. They are appealing for anyone who see designer items for sale at street markets or online for “a much reduced rate” to contact police.

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