Daytime jewellery robbery in Richmond raises security concerns, while shocks London

A daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond, one of London’s most affluent and traditionally quiet districts, has heightened security concerns among residents and local businesses.

The incident took place before midday on 31 January, when two masked men smashed the shop’s display window with a hammer and fled with a large quantity of jewellery. The robbery occurred in full view of passers-by in the south-west London neighbourhood, which is widely regarded as safe and family-oriented.

Although shop staff attempted to intervene, they were unable to prevent the suspects from escaping. The damaged storefront was later temporarily sealed. Footage of the robbery quickly circulated on social media, amplifying local anxiety.

Residents described the incident as deeply unsettling, with many calling for a stronger police presence. Some said the spread of robberies across London appearing even in Richmond was “shocking”.

An Anadolu Agency reporter visited the scene following the incident, speaking with witnesses and local residents.

“I looked outside and they were smashing the glass with a sledgehammer”

Turkish barber Tolga Göçebe, whose shop is on the same street as the jewellery store, said the robbery was alarming given the area’s reputation.

“I opened my shop at 09.00. At around 10.30, I heard a very loud noise,” Göçebe said.
“When I looked outside, they were smashing the glass with a large sledgehammer. There were two of them. They must have taken something valuable and then fled. No one could intervene — there was nothing anyone could do.”

Göçebe said police visited his business a day later to collect CCTV footage.
“They asked for the security recordings and I handed them over. Now we are waiting. I hope they catch them,” he said.

He added that local traders have been unsettled since the incident.
“We have a WhatsApp group for shop owners. Everyone is upset. No one could do anything. They tried to grab what they could from the display to prevent more being stolen.”

Göçebe also noted seeing groups of motorcyclists and cyclists in the area weeks earlier, possibly scouting locations.
“These kinds of crimes are common across London, but I’ve been here for over five years and never seen anything like this,” he said.

“People are afraid to intervene now”

Local resident David Bindon, 60, said videos of the robbery spread rapidly through community messaging groups.

“Everyone in Richmond saw it very quickly,” he said.
“Richmond used to be extremely safe — it really was. But today’s London is different.”

Bindon said he was surprised no one stepped in.
“Twenty years ago, people would have intervened. Now they hesitate because the first thought is being stabbed.”

He criticised policing priorities, suggesting officers should focus more on crime prevention than monitoring online content.

“The strange part is that it happened in broad daylight”

Another resident, Lauren, described the robbery as disturbing, noting the popularity of the jewellery shop.

“This is really sad because it’s a lovely shop. I hope everyone is okay and can recover from this,” she said.

She added that such crimes are rare in the area.
“The strange thing is that it happened around 09.30, when everyone was out. Not late at night — that’s what makes it so unsettling.”

Resident Mark also witnessed the incident, describing how one suspect smashed the window while the other filled bags with jewellery.

“It was horrifying. This happened at 10.30 in the morning, not at night,” he said.
“This shop owner has served the community honestly for years. To see this happen in daylight was truly shocking.”

Police have not yet announced any arrests. The investigation is ongoing.

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