Moped gang smashes into Apple Store on London's Regent Street and makes off with iPhones, iPads and watches

Security guard threatened with hammer by ten-strong group of thieves before escape with electronics haul

The Apple Store in Regent Street, London (Philip Toscano/PA)

A security guard was threatened with a hammer as 10 thieves smashed into Apple's Regent Street store before making off on mopeds with iPhones, iPads and watches.

The Metropolitan Police were called at 12.45am on Monday to reports of an aggravated burglary at the tech giant's flagship store.

Around three minutes earlier ten suspects on five mopeds were reported to have smashed their way into the store and taken Apple products.

Two iPhone Xs were later recovered near Kings Cross.

A security guard in the store was threatened with a hammer as he tried to stop the suspects before they made off northbound along Regent Street.

The suspects are described as wearing dark clothing. The man who threatened the guard was described as a black man.

The raid comes one month after a gang of thieves riding mopeds attacked a high-end jeweller's in the same street.

Three suspects are believed to have smashed display cabinets to escape with a high-value haul, after a hammer, axe and bats were used to break in to the store.

Officers believe six culprits were involved in the raid at Mappin & Webb in Regent Street at around 7.20pm on Monday 9 October.

There has been a surge in thefts of mopeds or scooters, as well as in crimes carried out by individuals riding them.

Figures suggest that in the year to September, there were more than 19,385 “moped enabled” crimes in the capital - an average of 53 a day - including thefts and robberies.

Police say there are a number of factors behind the trend, including a rise in the number of people using scooters to commute and a growing market for second-hand mobile phone parts.

Scooter criminals normally travel in pairs with a passenger sitting behind the driver, targeting busy areas where they can snatch high-value smartphones.

At the end of last month Scotland Yard revealed that it was using a special spray to “tag” moped-riding criminals after a surge in offences perpetrated using the vehicles.

The spray marks the offender with an invisible liquid which is extremely difficult to remove and contains a DNA-style unique code.

Frontline teams have also been kitted out with automatic “stinger” devices that can remotely puncture tyres to stop criminals getting away.

In a third tactic, a fleet of new lightweight motorbikes has been rolled out to make police more nimble in their pursuit of suspects, who often use alleyways and narrow streets.

PA