Acid-wielding moped gang closed off busy street and threatened motorists before launching £100k raid on Wimbledon jewellery shop

MOPED thugs threatened terrified shoppers with knives and acid before stealing jewellery worth £100,000 in a brazen daylight raid.

The gang closed off a street in leafy Wimbledon Village, South West London, and smashed down the door to boutique jeweller Michael Platt.

Staff had to seek refuge in a storeroom as the four thugs dragged a "road closed" sign into the middle of the street to divert traffic.

They waved knives and bottles believed to contain acid at terrified shoppers, who took cover in local cafes during the terrifying raid on Wednesday lunchtime.

The crooks loaded bags with handmade and bespoke jewellery - including an 18 carat platinum ring, pendants and bracelets - before fleeing.

Wayne Myers, who owns the shop with wife Elayne, told the : "They grabbed the sign and put it in the road to divert traffic away.

"Then they drove straight into the door and flattened it. The staff were terrified.

"While they were raiding the shop the guys on the other bike were stopping traffic on the road. As one woman tried to video them he threatened to spray what we think was acid at her.

"They were also waving a knife. This was very violent but no one was injured."

He continued: "It's business as usual, we will not let these thugs beat us.

"We will not cower against these brazen people who need to be stopped. We are a small independent business and they are one-off items but we will not be beaten."

Police confirmed the mopeds were abandoned nearby and said they are continuing to hunt the suspects.

Scotland Yard said: "Police were called at approximately 12:46hrs on Wednesday, 12 September to reports of a robbery at a jewellery shop on Church Road, Wimbledon.

"It is reported that two males approached on mopeds and stole items of jewellery from within the property.

"No injuries were reported."

Moped robberies have continued to rise in London this year with 16,000 scooter attacks in 2017 - up from just 1,053 in 2014.