A moped gang smashed through the doors of Knightsbridge’s Rolex store in broad daylight, making it the fourth high-end shop in the area to be raided in four months.

Four mopeds with seven masked people armed with axes and sledgehammers attempted to smash the front window of the expensive watch store at the bottom of One Hyde Park yesterday (August 28) at around 10.30am.

They failed to break the glass so forced the door open with a motorbike and stole a quantity of watches which can cost in excess of £75,000 each.

The masked gang then left on mopeds and made their way onto South Carriage Drive alongside Hyde Park where mounted officers blocked the road in attempt to prevent them from escaping after police were called at 10.36am.

The mopeds turned around and managed to escape in the direction of central London so no arrests were made.

Rolex is now the fifth Knightsbridge designer store in 17 months to be the target of moped gang smash and grabs.

Three weeks ago on August 7 high-value handbags were stolen from Valentino , in June Louis Vuitton became a victim and in May second-hand designer bag shop, the Designer Exchange, in Egerton Terrace, had more than £100,000 worth of handbags stolen from it.

Gucci was also targeted in March last year.

Homeless man Christopher Gibbs was jailed earlier this month for three and a half years for helping to steal from the Designer Exchange. He was only caught because his mask slipped off as he was running away.

Police are looking into whether yesterday’s incident was linked to any of the previous robberies.

Police are asking anybody with information to call the Flying Squad in Putney on 0208 785 8655 of call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.