A TERRIFIED jeweller was the target of a violent robbery in Southall - one of two incidents in the area just days apart.

Police are investigating after masked raiders attacked two men and made off with at least £100,000 of jewellery when they hijacked a vehicle in The Green at 5pm.

Manoj Kumar, who runs a jewellers in Birmingham, travels the country selling his products. He was visiting Southall when he was ambushed.

He said the attack happened as he and his colleague, who would not be named, left a shop on November 29 in their BMW Series 3.

Mr Kumar stopped at a queue of traffic at the junction with Southbridge Road when a blue Vauxhall Vectra pulled up and stopped at an angle, cutting off escape. A man in a balaclava then got out and attacked his vehicle.

The 38-year-old said: “It was terrifying. I ran for my life. We’re still in shock. Sitting in my office I try to be normal but then I have flashbacks about what happened.”

“We were blocked in by a blue Vectra and then they started smashing the windows of my car. A man was asking for the bag, the guy with me got out of the car and they tried to punch him in the face.

“He bent down and the punch hit him in the neck. He was OK but obviously shaken. We had no alternative but to leave the car and run for our lives.

The keys were still in the car as the thugs sped off with the jewellery, which police believe is worth £138,000.

A police spokesman said there were no descriptions of the suspects. At the time of going to press, there were no arrests and enquiries were ongoing. Anyone with information should call 0208 721 7073

With the selling price of gold currently at an all-time high, Mr Kumar said such attacks were becoming more common in the industry, despite the best efforts of police.

Five days after the robbery in The Green, thieves also attacked Euro Fine Jewellery in The Broadway, Southall in a separate incident. Two men will appear at Isleworth Crown Court next month charged with commercial robbery.

Ravi Kumar, who works at Ramesh Jewellers in The Broadway, Southall said: “The situation has gone crazy. Jewellers in Southall are definitely scared and everyone is feeling unsafe due to these recent robberies.

“Everytime we hear about a new incident it means we have to take more measures, like installing extra safeguards and hiring more security, all of which impacts on the cost of running a business.”

Colin Wingrove, chief inspector for Southall said: “We want to reassure the community that these sorts of incidents are rare and we have seen some real successes with criminals being arrested and brought to justice for these crimes.

“More and more jewellers are signing up to the Jewellery Watch scheme which we are confident will help both businesses and the community become safer.”