Jewellery store manager recalls moment she chased off knife-wielding raiders

The manager of a jewellery store in Hampshire chased off two armed robbers after they tried to smash their way into the open store. The attempted smash-and grab took place at 10:50am on Wednesday, 27 April, at David Mellor Jewellers in Andover, when the two offenders approached the store on a black scooter and tried to smash the glass store front with hammers and a knife. Speaking to Jewellery Focus, Amy Mellor - a member of the family which owns the business - said her dad held the door shut while she scooped the watches out of the window display to stop the thieves grabbing them. Mellor said: “My dad happened to see the culprits in our CCTV monitor and started to walk over to the door with a 'tool' behind his back, just incase they were legitimate customers. Realising they weren't, he then barricaded the door to stop them from gaining entry. “Whilst the thieves were trying to make their way through our window, and dad was holding the door shut, I opened the watch cabinet and started to scoop the watches out in order to leave them with only an empty display. “When they gave up, with extremely achy arms, one of them got back on the bike and rode off whilst the other was left to catch up on foot. It wasn't until I was chasing them that I realised they had knives. “It's a disgusting reminder that there are people in this world with no conscience or respect for anything. They don't care that they are stealing a family's livelihood that we all work so hard for.” Both of the offenders wore dark clothing, while one wore a dark-coloured motorcycle helmet and the other a white helmet. It is believed they travelled to the London area after failing to take anything from the store. Detective Constable Jonathan Swift, of Northern CID, added: “This was a brazen daylight robbery attempt. We would like to hear from anyone who saw the two figures in the CCTV image travelling to or from the scene. “We would also like to hear from anyone who witnessed what happened or anyone who has any knowledge of the offence.” Anyone with information has been urged to contact Swift at Basingstoke police station on 101, quoting 44160158481 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.