Armed gang ram-raids Mini into Selfridges for handbags

Ram-raiders have smashed into Selfridges and stolen £200,000 worth of designer handbags before racing off in another car.

In what the Daily Mail describes as an “Italian Job”-style robbery, the armed gang reversed a black Mini at high speed into the 10ft-high glass doors of the upmarket store, on London’s Oxford Street.

A security guard who tried to stop the gang as they grabbed luxury goods was threatened with a knife. Another guard was then almost mowed down as the thieves fled in a white VW Golf following the raid, at around 4am on Tuesday.

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The four male suspects were recorded on CCTV as they sped off through the store’s goods delivery entrance in Duke Street, reports The Guardian. Their vehicle was last seen turning into Wigmore Street.

A spokesperson for Selfridges said: “Nobody was injured and the police are investigating, the store is continuing to trade as normal.”

Store insiders said a £40,000 Gucci handbag and a £20,000 Fendi bag were among the items taken.

Appealing for witnesses, DC Tom Aylward, from Westminster CID, said: “The raid was targeted and lasted a matter of minutes. My team are busy collecting witness accounts and recovering vital CCTV footage of the burglary at the store and of the suspects leaving the scene.”

No arrests have been made.