A ROBBER reportedly disguised in a woman's Arabic veil was wrestled to the ground by pedestrians and arrested after striking at a North End Road jewellers.
The Niqab-wearing suspect was one of three men who raided the shop which is housed in a unit called Shopping Palace near the junction with Lillie Road at about 3.20pm on Wednesday.
Witnesses said two of the men were wearing wolly hats and scarves and escaped with a quantity of cash, running towards the Clem Attlee Estate, but the third person was stopped and arrested.
One witness wrote on the W14.ning blog: "The two guys went charging across the road indifferent to the traffic and down the alleyway that leads to the Clem Attlee Estate. Then another bloke in a black disha-dasha (veil) came out pursued by other guys. They all bundled him to the ground."
Another person emailed the Chronicle with his account, saying: "I saw a black male (early-mid 20s) being wrestled to the ground by the public, and eventually being taken away by police. I noticed that he had black leather gloves on, and had blood on one of his forearms. I heard a policeman who emerged from the jewellers say in his radio that it was a robbery. I noticed that the robber was wearing a long black thin gown, similar to those worn by Arabic women."
The witness added: "I heard him tell many people that the youth had been dressed as a women with a face veil on, and had attempted to rob the jewellers."
A police spokesman said: "On Wednesday, May 15 at 3.40pm police arrested a man who was involved in a robbery at a jewellers in North End Road, Fulham. Three male suspects had entered the premises. Cash was taken but no jewellery.
"One suspect was detained by the shop keeper. The suspect is currently in custody awaiting charging decisions."
