Riots investigation police find looted shop tills

Police carrying out raids in connection with looting during the London riots have recovered cash tills taken from a shop during the disorder, Scotland Yard said today.

Two cash registers were found by officers on the Denton Estate in Camden, north London, on Saturday, along with a haul of weapons, car keys, a sat-nav and a mobile phone, according to the Met.

Police said the tills were taken from Evans Cycle Shop in Chalk Farm Road, which was looted during the disorder in Camden last Monday.

Officers working as part of Operation Withern also conducted a weapons search-sweep in the Queens Crescent area.

They discovered 12 knives, metal chains and bars, a hammer and a small amount of what is believed to be Class C drugs buried in flower beds.

Seven officers spent 10 hours scouring the area with metal detectors during the search, the Met said.

Detective Chief Inspector Eric Phelps, from Camden Police, who organised the search said: "This is an amazing result. Several knives which could have been used as lethal weapons have been taken off the streets, clearly making it safer for everyone.

"We are now in the process of organising further searches. The next phase will include warrants being sought accordingly, to bring those intent on causing misery and harm to the vast majority of law-abiding citizens to justice."

Meanwhile, police have appealed for the owner of a Bvlgari ring seized during a raid in the Notting Hill to come forward.

The piece of designer jewellery is believed to have been looted as criminals targeted restaurants and pubs during rioting in the area.

Ten people were arrested during a series of raids in the area yesterday, Scotland Yard said.

PA