News

Gang smash up Wythenshawe pawnbrokers with pick-axe for jewellery, making getaway in stolen BMW

By Glen Keogh

A gang raided a Wythenshawe pawnbrokers in broad daylight yesterday, smashing into glass cabinets with a pick-axe to steal jewellery before escaping in a stolen black BMW getaway car.

At around 9.30am three masked men got out of the vehicle and walked into H & T pawnbrokers on Haletop.

Using their pick-axe, they smashed glass cabinets and bungled gold bangles into bed sheets with a rocket pattern, before escaping in the car towards Brownley Road.

A getaway driver stayed in the vehicle during the robbery.

Detective Inspector Dave Turner from Wythenshawe INPT said: “I would ask anyone who witnessed the car pull up outside the pawn brokers, the robbery and the men leave to get in touch.

“We know that the car, with registration D16 EVA, was stolen from the Wilmslow area on 21 April 2013 but at this stage, it has not been recovered.  If you have seen this car, we are keen to hear from you.”

One man is described as being of medium build and 6ft tall.  

He wore a balaclava, black hooded top with the hood up, black tracksuit bottoms and black trainers.

Another was of skinny build, in his 20s and 6ft 4in tall.  

He wore a balaclava, grey hooded top, grey tracksuit bottoms, white trainers and dark trainers.

A third man wore a balaclava, dark hooded top with grey covering the top half, black tracksuit bottoms with a white logo on the left leg and black trainers.  

He was 6ft tall and of medium build.

DI Turner also asked the public to keep an eye out for discarded jewellery boxes – the ones stolen were white with a dark blue border and black wooden handles.

The child’s duvet or bed sheet case used to store the jewellery was blue with rocket motifs.

“If you have seen any of the items described or been offered jewellery under suspicious circumstances, I would urge you to phone police,” he added.

Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 6073 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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