Seven Kings jewellery shop owner defiant after gang of five use sledgehammers in robbery

A gap in the fence where the men reportedly escaped

The masked men got away with thousands of pounds of jewellery after smashing their way through the door at Asha, High Road, Seven Kings, at about 11.35am on Thursday.

After stuffing jewellery into bags, it is believed they escaped through a hole in the fence lining the nearby railway track.

Despite a police search, including a helicopter, the robbers were not found.

Shop owner Asha Sadheurah said: “There were three of us in the shop at the time and we were shouting on the phone for the police to come. We were all frightened.”

One man wearing a grey suit and a flat cap opened the first of two doors to the shop.

He then pulled a balaclava down over his face and put on a pair of gloves.

He was joined by four more men wearing baseball caps and hoodies with scarves covering their faces.

Gurbachan Sadheurah, who was also in the shop, said he thought the man was holding the door open for his wife and children.

Mr Sadheurah said: “Four youths came running in and started smashing the inside glass door with a sledgehammer.

“I went to push the panic button, but I was frightened and froze.

“Then my wife came and pulled me into the back of the shop.”

The incident lasted for less than a minute, during which time the men smashed four large display cabinets and a smaller cabinet – all containing gold jewellery.

They reportedly changed their clothes after escaping.

Mr Sadheurah said: “We still feel shocked and when I close my eyes I see everything going on like a cinema.”

The shop was previously robbed about eight years ago when more than 10 men pretended to be police officers.

Mrs Sadheurah said: “We are going to put it all back, they don’t scare me.

“We don’t give up and will be back on our feet.”