More than £320,000 of luxury goods have been stolen from high-end fashion boutiques in and around Bond Street in six raids by gangs of robbers on mopeds.
Brands including Prada, Fendi, Miu Miu and Hugo Boss have been targeted in smash-and-grab raids in the middle of the night, which usually last no more than a few minutes.
During the Prada incident on September 21, a security guard aged in his 60s was beaten over the head and back.
Westminster police believe the raids are linked but have not yet made any arrests.
The high-value goods were all taken in just one month, with the Fendi store in Bond Street being targeted on September 5.
News from London's shopping district
As many as seven thieves smashed a glass front door to steal what was thought to be more than £200,000 of handbags and purses in a three-minute raid between 12.15am and 12.18am.
A gang of five suspects are thought to have stolen more than £100,000 of handbags from Prada in Old Bond Street on September 21, between 3.45am and 3.48am.
Police were also called at 1.50am on September 25 after two mopeds and a motorbike were spotted outside designer clothing shop Miu Miu in New Bond Street.
Despite causing significant damage to the outside of the premises, the gang had not managed to steal any goods and fled by the time police arrived.
The following day (September 26), thieves smashed the windows of the Hugo Boss store in New Bond Street and took around £10,000 of goods.
Police were called to the scene at around 2.51am and when they arrived the robbers had fled but they dropped some items on the floor. The store alarm could be heard sounding.
It is believed eight suspects made their escape on four mopeds.
On September 27, Browns Ltd in South Molton Street was targeted by a group of up to four men on scooters, who forced a large rear door open and took around £10,000 of goods.
They made off in the direction of Oxford Street at around 12.20am following a two-minute raid.
News from Westminster
The latest raid, on Mulberry in New Bond Street on October 2, involved suspects on three mopeds attacking the windows with what appears to have been a claw hammer.
Despite their efforts, they were unable to gain access to the store and fled shortly after 12.20am.
Prada raid
A security guard aged in his 60s was knocked over and beaten over the head and back with a hard object in the raid on the Prada store in Old Bond Street on September 21.
The man had to be taken to hospital and has since been recovering at home.
A gang of five robbers stole more than £100,000 of designer handbags in just two minutes and made off on scooters and mopeds by Eversholt Street, near London Euston station.
They were seen travelling at speed and beeping their horns continuously as they passed an articulated Marks & Spencer delivery lorry in the road.
Detective Constable Paul Clarke, from Westminster CID, said: "A gang wearing mainly dark clothing and using black scooters have prowled the streets of London and committed these brazen attacks on a number of occasions.
"These 'smash-and-grab attacks' last only a few minutes but are committed by individuals who are carrying weapons including axes, knives and crowbars.
"There appears to be little planning ahead of the raids but high value stores are singled out with entry forced in the quickest possible manner by the group, who have smashed large display windows using weapons and scooters.
"Due to the description of the individuals involved and the methods used, we are working on the basis that these attacks are linked. The gang routinely use motorcycle helmets and dark clothing to conceal their identity."
Moped crime
DC Clarke added: "As well as the criminality of the burglaries, our concern is also that they have not hesitated to use violence to ensure their raids remain undisturbed.
"The latest images - released following the raid at Prada - show clear pictures of the individuals involved and our hope is that members of the public can help us identify those behind these attacks.
"A number of enquiries, including the recovery of detailed CCTV footage are ongoing. I would urge any witnesses and those with information to come forward and speak to my team who are ready to take your call."
Anyone with information is asked to call Westminster CID on 07500 766 462 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
You can also tweet information to police via @MetCC .
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