Policeman hurt as moped axe gang target watch shop at Brent Cross shopping centre

A POLICEMAN was injured after an attempted moped robbery at Brent Cross shopping centre.

Six raiders riding on three bikes targeted a watch shop in the north London complex at around 7pm today, Scotland Yard said.

A witness to events thought one of the gang could have been brandishing a pick axe but this was not confirmed by the Met Police when contacted by The Sun.

Two men were arrested on conspiracy to rob but the others fled the scene.

An officer was taken to hospital with a head injury, which is not believed to be serious.

A woman in her 50s was treated by paramedics for an injury to her arm.

One of the suspects was taken to hospital for minor injuries and the other is in custody in a north London police station.

Eye-witness Gavin Henderson tweeted: "Scenes at Brent Cross Shopping Centre. Man rode a motorbike into the shopping centre holding what looks like a pick axe!! Man ran off, bike left in concourse, no one attacked, police on scene immediately."

According to Mr Henderson, the police had "dogs there on scene straight away."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "The four other suspects made off on two motorcycles.

"Urgent inquiries are under way to trace them.

"We await confirmation of whether anything was stolen."

A moped gang armed with knives and acid threatened motorists before stealing jewellery worth £100,000 in a daylight raid in Wimbledon Village, south west London last month.

In June a moped gang targeted a woman and her three-year-old child but were chased off by men brandishing scaffolding poles.