Smash-and-grab raiders targeted jewellers at Europes largest civic selling centre in the early hours of today.
Valuables value tens of thousands of pounds were stolen when a squad of up to 10 people detonate in to the Westfield centre in Shepherds Bush, west London.
The thieves used sledgehammers to mangle in to the formidable prior to aggressive branches of De Beers and Tiffany Co.
Security guards and military were alerted by electronic alarms but the squad sped off in multiform cars at about 1.20am.
Officials at Westfield, that non-stop in Oct 2008 and houses some-more than 250 shops, pronounced it was the initial thievery of the kind to take place.
But it appeared to be the ultimate growth in a prolonged array of smash-and-grab attacks on jewellers and oppulance stores opposite the capital.
Gangs of thieves, mostly roving stolen mopeds and armed with complicated tools, have tormented military and retailers.
Goods value some-more than �4 million have been taken as thieves targeted Watches of Switzerland, Cartier, Dolce Gabbana and Tiffany and Co.
In one raid on the Mozafarian store in Knightsbridge last August, gems value some-more than �1 million were stolen in less than a minute.
Investigators scored a success last Dec when 6 members of one squad were locked up for a sum of twenty-two years.
The Westfield selling formidable pays for the own in isolation security staff and military teams underneath an agreement with Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
The 43-acre, �1.7 billion growth boasts a 14-screen cinema, 50 restaurants, a gym, a sauna and a library.
Senior officers were so endangered about the volume of crime that might take place at the centre they concluded to set up additional military cells prior to it opened.
A Metropolitan Police orator pronounced officers were alerted to a thievery in swell at 1.20am.
He said: A organisation of up to 10 people forced entrance to the premises prior to violation in to dual trinket shops and creation off with a apportion of goods.
A Westfield mouthpiece pronounced a apportion of trinket was stolen and that the centre would open as normal today.
The mouthpiece added: Westfield is operative closely with the Metropolitan Police to brand suspects and redeem property.
No-one was harmed during the situation that took place while the selling centre was sealed and the on-site security staff responded rught away as did the internal police.
* Anyone with report should hit Hammersmith Police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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