Armed robbers smash luxury watch shop 'to pieces' as Spencer Matthews hides in vault
'The place is just battered. Like I mean Gonzo. All the watches gone,' says Made in Chelsea star
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Armed robbers drove a moped through the window of a luxury watch shop before “smashing it to pieces”, forcing a Made in Chelsea star to hide in a vault.
Gun-wielding police officers were called to The Hour House in central London’s Duke Street after the gang pounced.
Made in Chelsea and Celebrity Masterchef star Spencer Matthews, said he was in the high-end store with friends when the robbers struck. He was forced to hide in the vault.
“I just had to hide in a safe," he wrote on Instagram. "More like a vault downstairs while this watch shop The Hour House on Duke Street got smashed to pieces by armed robbers.”
He said they were wielding “huge jack hammers”.
The shop and its cabinets were pictured covered in glass fragments.
"These guys drive a scooter through the glass and start battering the shop with hammers, big huge hammers, wearing helmets," Matthews said. “We’re in the back of the shop looking at them, sprint downstairs, hide in the vault until all the noise passes. Come upstairs and the place is just battered. Like I mean Gonzo. All the watches gone.”
Along with his friends, he began looking for the “vintage piece” which he had been hoping to collect.
The 30-year-old went on: “We were looking around and I’m just thinking f*****g hell the thing that I’ve been waiting for has obviously just been nicked so I’m going to have to go and get another one. Lo and behold we look around and on the floor amongst all the rubble and the glass and stuff there’s one watch in the entire shop and it’s mine. Now if that’s not luck I don’t know what is.”
Scotland Yard said officers were called to the scene on Tuesday morning.
“A number of males armed with weapons are reported to have driven to the premises on mopeds and smashed a window before stealing goods and fleeing," it said on Twitter. “Officers attended, including specialist firearms colleagues.
“A man aged in his 30s has been treated by London Aambulance Service for an eye injury sustained after the shop window was smashed.
"At this stage there have been no arrests. Inquiries continue."
Anyone who has information that could assist the investigation was asked to call 101 ref CAD 2222/28 May.
Additional reporting by Press Association